Preservative mixture

ABSTRACT

Suggested is a preservative mixture with improved solubility comprising or consisting of (a) 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log Po/w of 1.2 or below; and (c) at least one lipophilic solvent having a log Po/w of above 1.2.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention belongs to the area of cosmetics and household products and relates to a preservative mixture comprising ortho-cymen-5-ol (4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol) with improved solubility.

STATE OF THE ART

4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol, also called ortho-cymen-5-ol (CAS: 3228-02-2)

belongs to the group of preservatives which are approved for use in cosmetic and household compositions. The product is considered to be a suitable alternative for trichlosan.

A disadvantage of this compound is its limited solubility in hydrophilic solvents in general and in the end-consumer formulations in particular. The compound also shows a strong tendency for recrystallisation during storage. In terms of optimal antimicrobial activity it is mandatory that the compound is and stays completely dissolved in the respective formulation.

Due to its high melting point of 110 to 113° C. ortho-cymen-5-ol usually has to be heated up and dissolved in an appropriate solvent before adding to a formulation. Especially for surfactant based products e.g. shampoos, shower gel, liquid soap, dish washing liquid including a heating step into product formulation is highly unwanted, since it requires additional technical effort and energy.

Therefore there is a demand to find a technical solution which allows an easier incorporation of ortho-cymen-5-ol into product formulation, which on one hand avoids an additional heating step and on the other improves stability without recrystallisation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is directed to a preservative mixture comprising or consisting of

(a) 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol;

(b) at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or below; and

(c) at least one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2.

Surprisingly, it has been observed that the solubility of 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol in a hydrophilic solvent can be significantly increased by adding a small amount of a lipophilic solvent, while at the same time tendency for recrystallisation is significantly decreased. The hydrophilic solvent should be the main part of the composition due to better solubility properties in finished formulations. Preferably, the difference between the log P O/W values of the hydrophilic and the lipophilic solvent in the mixture is at least 0.5, preferably at least 0.7 and more preferred at least 1.0.

The Log P_(O/W) Concept

The partition coefficient, abbreviated P, is defined as a particular ratio of the concentrations of a solute between the two solvents (a biphase of liquid phases), specifically for un-ionized solutes, and the logarithm of the ratio is thus log P When one of the solvents is water and the other is a non-polar solvent, then the log P value is a measure of lipophilicity or hydrophobicity. The defined precedent is for the lipophilic and hydrophilic phase types to always be in the numerator and denominator, respectively; for example, in a biphasic system of n-octanol (hereafter simply “octanol”) and water: log P _(O/W)=log([solute]_(octanol)/[solute]_(water))

To a first approximation, the non-polar phase in such experiments is usually dominated by the un-ionized form of the solute, which is electrically neutral, though this may not be true for the aqueous phase To measure the partition coefficient of ionizable solutes, the pH of the aqueous phase is adjusted such that the predominant form of the compound in solution is the un-ionized, or its measurement at another pH of interest requires consideration of all species, un-ionized and ionized (see following).

Therefore, the octanol/water partition coefficient (abbreviated P_(O/W) or sometimes K_(O/W)) provides information on how the chemical will partition between octanol (which represents the lipids or fats) and water. P_(O/W) values for various chemicals range widely and for this reason the values are typically reported in log units (i.e., log P_(O/W)). Both values provide information on how the chemical is likely to partition in biological organisms. P_(O/W) is an important parameter that is used to by EPI Suite™ to estimate other properties including water solubility, bio-concentration, soil adsorption and aquatic toxicity. The EPI Suite™ method that estimates P_(O/W) is KOWWIN and it uses a “fragment constant” method to predict P_(O/W). In the “fragment constant” method, a molecule is divided into fragments (atoms or larger functional groups) and the assigned coefficient values for each fragment are added to give the P_(O/W) estimate, which is reported as a log.

EPI Suite™ is the EPI (Estimation Programs Interface) Suite™ and is a Windows®-based set of physical/chemical property and environmental fate estimation programs developed by OPPT to screen new chemicals lacking experimental data.

Log P_(O/W) provides information whether a substance has an affinity for water or fats/lipids. The ranges of Log P_(O/W) are:

<1 Highly soluble in water (hydrophilic)

1-4 Slightly soluble in water

>4 Not very soluble in water (hydrophobic)

>8 Not readily bio-available

>10 Not bio-available—difficult to measure experimentally

Hydrophilic Solvents

Suitable hydrophilic solvents for 4-isopropyl-5-methylphenol are selected from the group consisting of alcohols, diols, polyols, phenols or esters with good solubilizing properties, preferably selected from the group consisting of ethanol, 1-propanol, isopropanol phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, butylene glycol, pentylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, hexylene glycol dipropylene glycol, ethoxydiglycol, propylene carbonate, glycerine carbonate, butylene carbonate, triethyl citrate, ethyl lactate, butyl lactate, ethylacetate, diethylmalonate, diacetin, dimethyl isosorbide, diethylene glycol, PPG-3 methyl ether or any of their mixtures.

The hydrophilic solvents as listed above are summarized in the below table with corresponding Log P_(O/W) values calculated in Epi Suite™. Experimentally determined values from literature are labelled accordingly (exp.).

Hydrophilic solvent CAS LOG P_(o/w) Ethanol 64-17-5 0.25 (exp.) 1-Propanol 71-23-8 0.88 (exp.) 2-Propanol (Isopropanol) 67-63-0 0.05 (exp.) Phenoxyethanol 122-99-6 1.16 (exp.) Benzylalkohol 100-51-6 1.1 Ethylene glycol 107-21-1 −1.36 (exp.) Propylene Glycol 57-55-6 −0.9 1,3-Propanediol 504-63-2 −0.7 Butylene glycol (1,3-Butanediol) 107-88-0 −0.29 Pentylene Glycol 5343-92-0 −0.3 1,2-Hexanediol 6920-22-5 0.69 (exp.) Hexylene glycol 107-41-5 0.6 Dipropylene Glycol 110-98-5 −1.5 Ethoxydiglycol 111-90-0 −0.54 (exp.) Propylene Carbonate 108-32-7 −0.4 Glycerin Carbonate 931-40-8 −1.4 Butylene Carbonate 4437-85-8 0.6 Triethylcitrate 77-93-0 0.3 Ethyl lactate 97-64-3 −0.18 Butyl lactate 138-22-7 0.80 Ethyl acetate 141-78-6 0.73 (exp.) Diethyl malonate 105-53-3 0.96 (exp.) Diacetin 25395-31-7 −0.64 Dimethyl isosorbide 5306-85-4 −1.62 Diethylene glycol 111-46-6 −1.47 PPG-3 Methyl Ether 25498-49-1 −0.20

Lipophilic Solvents

Suitable lipophilic solvents for 4-isopropyl-5-methylphenol are selected from the group consisting of 2-methyl-5-cyclohexylpentanol, 2-methyl 5-phenylpentanol, dimethyl phenylpropanol, dimethyl phenylbutanol, 3-methyl-4-phenylbutan-2-ol, phenylisohexanol, iso adipate, farnesol, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, cetearyl ethylhexanoate, triisononanoin, caprylic/capric triglycerides, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl caprate, glyceryl laurate, decyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, hexyldecanol, ethylhexyl isononanoate, ethyl hexylglycerin, diethyl succinate, caprylyl glycol, decylene glycol, phenylpropanol, menthyl antranilate, homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, benzyl benzoate, benzyl salicylate, diethylhexyl 2,6-naphthalate, 2-benzylheptanol, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, methyldihydrojasmonate, tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, trimethylbenzenepropanol, ethylbutyrate, menthyl acetate, carvacrol, methylsalicylate, eugenol, menthone, carvone, anethole, cinnamic aldehyde, limonene, isoamylacetate, dihydromyrcenol, methyldihydrojasmonate (Hedione), tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphtalenes (Iso E super), isosorbide dicyprylate, menthone glycerin acetal, mentyl lactate, phenyl salicylate, farnesyl acetate, ethyl laurate, phenethyl benzoate, Persea gratissima (avocado oil), isoamyl-p methoxycinnamate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate or any of their mixtures.

The lipophilic co-solvents as listed above are summarized in the below table with corresponding Log P_(O/W) values calculated in Epi Suite™. Experimentally determined values from literature are labelled accordingly (exp.).

Lipophilic co-solvent (name/INCI name) CAS LOG P_(o/w) 2-Methyl 5-Cyclohexylpentanol 1141487-54-8 4.3 2-Methyl 5-Phenylpentanol 25634-93-9 3.4 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride 65381-09-1 5.5 Caprylyl Glycol 1117-86-8 1.3 Decylene Glycol 1119-86-4 2.66 Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate 90411-68-0 11.8 Cetyl Alkohol 36653-82-4 7.3 Diethyl Succinate 123-25-1 1.67 Diethylhexyl 2,6-Naphthalate 127474-91-3 9.6 Dimethyl Phenylbutanol 2035-93-0 2.9 Dimethyl Phenylpropanol 13351-61-6 2.5 Ethylhexyl Isononanoate 70969-70-9 7.1 Ethylhexyl Salicylate 118-60-5 5.9 Hexyldecanol 2425-77-6 7.9 Homosalate 118-56-9 5.9 Iso Adipate 6938-94-9 3.2 Isopropyl Myristate 110-27-0 7.2 Isopropyl Palmitate 142-91-6 8.4 Menthyl Antranilate 134-09-8 6.1 Muguet Butanol 56836-93-2 2.6 (3-methyl-4-phenylbutan-2-ol) Phenylisohexanol 55066-48-3 2.7 Phenylpropanol 122-97-4 1.8 Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes 54464-57-2 5.7 54464-59-4 68155-66-8 68155-67-9 Triisononanoin 56554-53-1 9.7 Trimethylbenzenepropanol 103694-68-4 3.1 Ethyl butyrate 105-54-4 2.34 Menthyl acetate 2623-23-6 4.00 (exp.) Carvacrol 499-75-2 3.49 (exp.) Methyl salicylate 119-36-8 2.55 (exp.) Eugenol 97-53-0 2.27 (exp.) Menthone 14073-97-3 3.05 (exp.) 3391-87-5 10458-14-7 89-80-5 Carvone 2244-16-8 2.71 (exp.) 6485-40-1 Anethole 104-46-1 3.39 4180-23-8 25679-28-1 Cinnamic aldehyde 104-55-2 1.90 (exp.) Limonene 5989-27-5 4.38 (exp.) 5989-54-8 7705-14-8 Isoamyl acetate 123-92-2 2.25 (exp.) Dihydromyrcenol 18479-58-8 3.47 Methyldihydrojasmonate (Hedione) 24851-98-7 2.98 Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphtalenes 54464-57-2 5.18 (Iso E super) Benzylbenzoate 120-51-4 3.97 (exp.) Benzylsalicylate 118-58-1 4.31 Farnesol 4602-84-0 5.77 Diethyl phthalate 84-66-2 2.42 (exp.) 2-Benzylheptanol 92368-90-6 4.44 4-Hydroxyacetophenone 99-93-4 1.35 Glyceryl caprylate 26402-26-6 1.71 Glyceryl caprate 11139-88-1 2.69 Glyceryl laurate 27215-38-4 3.67 142-18-7 Decyl alcohol 112-30-1 4.57 (exp.) Lauryl alcohol 112-53-8 5.13 (exp.) Ethylhexyl glycerin 70445-33-9 2.22 Isosorbide Dicyprylate 64896-70-4 4.89 Menthone Glycerin Acetal 63187-91-7 4.18 Mentyl Lactate 61597-98-6 3.34 59259-38-0 17162-29-7 Phenyl Salicylate 118-55-8 3.82 Farnesyl Acetate 29548-30-9 6.77 Ethyl Laurate 106-33-2 5.71 (exp.) Phenethyl Benzoate 94-47-3 4.01 (exp.) Persea Gratissima (Avocado Oil) 8024-32-6 n.a. lsoamyl-p Methoxycinnamate 71617-10-2 4.33 4-Methylbenzylidene Camphor 36861-47-9 5.92 Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate 5466-77-3 5.80

Further Suitable Lipophilic Solvents

Suitable oil bodies (component b1), are, for example, Guerbet alcohols based on fatty alcohols having 6 to 18, preferably 8 to 10, carbon atoms, esters of linear C₆-C₂₂-fatty acids with linear or branched C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohols or esters of branched C₆-C₁₃-carboxylic acids with linear or branched C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohols, such as, for example, myristyl myristate, myristyl palmitate, myristyl stearate, myristyl isostearate, myristyl oleate, myristyl behenate, myristyl erucate, cetyl myristate, cetyl palmitate, cetyl stearate, cetyl isostearate, cetyl oleate, cetyl behenate, cetyl erucate, stearyl myristate, stearyl palmitate, stearyl stearate, stearyl isostearate, stearyl oleate, stearyl behenate, stearyl erucate, isostearyl myristate, isostearyl palmitate, isostearyl stearate, isostearyl isostearate, isostearyl oleate, isostearyl behenate, isostearyl oleate, oleyl myristate, oleyl palmitate, oleyl stearate, oleyl isostearate, oleyl oleate, oleyl behenate, oleyl erucate, behenyl myristate, behenyl palmitate, behenyl stearate, behenyl isostearate, behenyl oleate, behenyl behenate, behenyl erucate, erucyl myristate, erucyl palmitate, erucyl stearate, erucyl isostearate, erucyl oleate, erucyl behenate and erucyl erucate. Also suitable are esters of linear C₆-C₂₂-fatty acids with branched alcohols, in particular 2-ethylhexanol, esters of C₁₈-C₃₈-alkylhydroxy carboxylic acids with linear or branched C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohols, in particular Dioctyl Malate, esters of linear and/or branched fatty acids with polyhydric alcohols (such as, for example, propylene glycol, dimerdiol or trimertriol) and/or Guerbet alcohols, triglycerides based on C₆-C₁₀-fatty acids, liquid mono-/di-/triglyceride mixtures based on C₆-C₁₈-fatty acids, esters of C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohols and/or Guerbet alcohols with aromatic carboxylic acids, in particular benzoic acid, esters of C₂-C₁₂-dicarboxylic acids with linear or branched alcohols having 1 to 22 carbon atoms or polyols having 2 to 10 carbon atoms and 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups, vegetable oils, branched primary alcohols, substituted cyclohexanes, linear and branched C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohol carbonates, such as, for example, Dicaprylyl Carbonate (Cetiol® CC), Guerbet carbonates, based on fatty alcohols having 6 to 18, preferably 8 to 10, carbon atoms, esters of benzoic acid with linear and/or branched C₆-C₂₂-alcohols (e.g. Finsolv® TN), linear or branched, symmetrical or asymmetrical dialkyl ethers having 6 to 22 carbon atoms per alkyl group, such as, for example, dicaprylyl ether (Cetiol® OE), ring-opening products of epoxidized fatty acid esters with polyols, silicone oils (cyclomethicones, silicone methicone grades, etc.), aliphatic or naphthenic hydrocarbons, such as, for example, squalane, squalene or dialkylcyclohexanes, and/or mineral oils.

Perfume Oils and Fragrances

Another group of suitable lipophilic solvents encompasses perfume oils, i.e. mixtures of natural and synthetic perfumes. Natural perfumes include the extracts of blossoms (lily, lavender, rose, jasmine, neroli, ylang-ylang), stems and leaves (geranium, patchouli, petitgrain), fruits (anise, coriander, caraway, juniper), fruit peel (bergamot, lemon, orange), roots (nutmeg, angelica, celery, cardamom, costus, iris, calmus), woods (pinewood, sandalwood, guaiac wood, cedarwood, rosewood), herbs and grasses (tarragon, lemon grass, sage, thyme), needles and branches (spruce, fir, pine, dwarf pine), resins and balsams (galbanum, elemi, benzoin, myrrh, olibanum, opoponax). Animal raw materials, for example civet and beaver, may also be used. Typical synthetic perfume compounds are products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol and hydrocarbon type. Examples of perfume compounds of the ester type are benzyl acetate, phenoxyethyl isobutyrate, p-tert.butyl cyclohexylacetate, linalyl acetate, dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate, phenyl ethyl acetate, linalyl benzoate, benzyl formate, ethylmethyl phenyl glycinate, allyl cyclohexyl propionate, styrallyl propionate and benzyl salicylate. Ethers include, for example, benzyl ethyl ether while aldehydes include, for example, the linear alkanals containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms, citral, citronellal, citronellyloxyacetaldehyde, cyclamen aldehyde, hydroxycitronellal, lilial and bourgeonal. Examples of suitable ketones are the ionones, *-isomethylionone and methyl cedryl ketone. Suitable alcohols are anethol, citronellol, eugenol, isoeugenol, geraniol, linalool, phenylethyl alcohol and terpineol. The hydrocarbons mainly include the terpenes and balsams. However, it is preferred to use mixtures of different perfume compounds which, together, produce an agreeable perfume. Other suitable perfume oils are essential oils of relatively low volatility which are mostly used as aroma components. Examples are sage oil, camomile oil, clove oil, melissa oil, mint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, lime-blossom oil, juniper berry oil, vetiver oil, olibanum oil, galbanum oil, ladanum oil and lavendin oil. The following are preferably used either individually or in the form of mixtures: bergamot oil, dihydromyrcenol, lilial, lyral, citronellol, phenylethyl alcohol, hexylcinnamaldehyde, geraniol, benzyl acetone, cyclamen aldehyde, linalool, Boisambrene Forte, Ambroxan, indole, hedione, sandelice, citrus oil, mandarin oil, orange oil, allylamyl glycolate, cyclovertal, lavendin oil, clary oil, damascone, geranium oil bourbon, cyclohexyl salicylate, Vertofix Coeur, Iso-E-Super, Fixolide NP, evernyl, iraldein gamma, phenylacetic acid, geranyl acetate, benzyl acetate, rose oxide, romillat, irotyl and floramat.

Preferred Mixtures

In a first embodiment the present invention particularly relates to a mixture comprising or consisting of

-   (a) about 2 to about 50% b.w. and preferably about 10 to about 40     b.w. % 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; -   (b) about 40 to about 97% b.w. and preferably 60 to about 90% b.w.     at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or     below; and -   (c) about 1 to about 38% b.w. and about 3 to about 30% b.w. at least     one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2. on     condition that the amounts add to 100% b.w. In the following some     highly preferred blends are provided showing a particular improved     solubility and storage stability:

Blend 1:

-   (a) 30% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; -   (b) 65% b.w. dipropylene glycol; and -   (c) 5% b.w. decylene glycol.

Blend 2:

-   (a) 20% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; -   (b) 70% b.w. propylene glycol; and -   (c) 10% b.w. lauryl alcohol.

Blend 3:

-   (a) 25% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; -   (b) 70% b.w. pentylene glycol; and -   (c) 5% b.w. 2-benzylheptanol.

Blend 4:

-   (a) 20% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; -   (b) 70% b.w. butylene carbonate; and -   (c) 10% b.w. ethylhexylglycerin.

Blend 5:

-   (a) 25% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; -   (b) 70% b.w. triethyl citrate; and -   (c) 5% b.w. ethylhexylglycerin.

These mixtures may contain additional components, in particular water and surface-active agents, preferably those having emulsifying properties. Examples for suitable surfactants will be provided later under the headings “surfactants” and “emulsifiers”. The amount of water and/or surfactants may range from 1 to 25% b.w., particularly from 10 to 20% b.w. calculated on the total mixture.

Cosmetic or Personal Care Composition

Another object of the present invention encompasses a cosmetic or personal care composition comprising said preservative mixtures. The cosmetic or personal care composition may represent a skin care, hair care and/or sun care product, such as for example a cosmetic cream, lotion, spray, emulsion, ointment, gel or mouse and the like.

Typical examples are skin creams and hair shampoos, antiperspirants and soaps.

The preparations according to the invention may contain abrasives, anti-acne agents, agents against ageing of the skin, anti-cellulites agents, antidandruff agents, anti-inflammatory agents, irritation-preventing agents, irritation-inhibiting agents, antioxidants, astringents, perspiration-inhibiting agents, antiseptic agents, ant-statics, binders, buffers, carrier materials, chelating agents, cell stimulants, cleansing agents, care agents, depilatory agents, surface-active substances, deodorizing agents, antiperspirants, softeners, emulsifiers, enzymes, essential oils, fibres, film-forming agents, fixatives, foam-forming agents, foam stabilizers, substances for preventing foaming, foam boosters, gelling agents, gel-forming agents, hair care agents, hair-setting agents, hair-straightening agents, moisture-donating agents, moisturizing substances, moisture-retaining substances, bleaching agents, strengthening agents, stain-removing agents, optically brightening agents, impregnating agents, dirt-repellent agents, friction-reducing agents, lubricants, moisturizing creams, ointments, opacifying agents, plasticizing agents, covering agents, polish, gloss agents, polymers, powders, proteins, re-oiling agents, abrading agents, silicones, skin-soothing agents, skin-cleansing agents, skin care agents, skin-healing agents, skin-lightening agents, skin-protecting agents, skin-softening agents, hair promotion agents, cooling agents, skin-cooling agents, warming agents, skin-warming agents, stabilizers, UV-absorbing agents, UV filters, detergents, fabric conditioning agents, suspending agents, skin-tanning agents, thickeners, vitamins, oils, waxes, fats, phospholipids, saturated fatty acids, mono- or polyunsaturated fatty acids, α-hydroxy acids, polyhydroxyfatty acids, liquefiers, dyestuffs, colour-protecting agents, pigments, anti-corrosives, aromas, flavouring substances, odoriferous substances, polyols, surfactants, electrolytes, organic solvents or silicone derivatives and the like as additional auxiliaries and additives.

Surfactants

Preferred auxiliaries and additives are anionic and/or amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants. Typical examples of anionic surfactants are soaps, alkyl benzenesulfonates, alkanesulfonates, olefin sulfonates, alkylether sulfonates, glycerol ether sulfonates, methyl ester sulfonates, sulfofatty acids, alkyl sulfates, fatty alcohol ether sulfates, glycerol ether sulfates, fatty acid ether sulfates, hydroxy mixed ether sulfates, monoglyceride (ether) sulfates, fatty acid amide (ether) sulfates, mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinates, mono- and dialkyl sulfosuccinamates, sulfotriglycerides, amide soaps, ether carboxylic acids and salts thereof, fatty acid isethionates, fatty acid sarcosinates, fatty acid taurides, N-acylamino acids such as, for example, acyl lactylates, acyl tartrates, acyl glutamates and acyl aspartates, alkyl oligoglucoside sulfates, protein fatty acid condensates (particularly wheat-based vegetable products) and alkyl (ether) phosphates. If the anionic surfactants contain polyglycol ether chains, they may have a conventional homolog distribution although they preferably have a narrow-range homolog distribution. Typical examples of amphoteric or zwitterionic surfactants are alkylbetaines, alkylamidobetaines, aminopropionates, aminoglycinates, imidazolinium betaines and sulfobetaines. The surfactants mentioned are all known compounds. Information on their structure and production can be found in relevant synoptic works, cf. for example J. Falbe (ed.), “Surfactants in Consumer Products”, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1987, pages 54 to 124 or J. Falbe (ed.), “Katalysatoren, Tenside und Mineraloladditive (Catalysts, Surfactants and Mineral Oil Additives)”, Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1978, pages 123-217. The percentage content of surfactants in the preparations may be from 0.1 to 10% by weight and is preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight, based on the preparation.

Oil Bodies

Suitable oil bodies, which form constituents of the O/W emulsions, are, for example, Guerbet alcohols based on fatty alcohols having 6 to 18, preferably 8 to 10, carbon atoms, esters of linear C₆-C₂₂-fatty acids with linear or branched C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohols or esters of branched C₆-C₁₃-carboxylic acids with linear or branched C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohols, such as, for example, myristyl myristate, myristyl palmitate, myristyl stearate, myristyl isostearate, myristyl oleate, myristyl behenate, myristyl erucate, cetyl myristate, cetyl palmitate, cetyl stearate, cetyl isostearate, cetyl oleate, cetyl behenate, cetyl erucate, stearyl myristate, stearyl palmitate, stearyl stearate, stearyl isostearate, stearyl oleate, stearyl behenate, stearyl erucate, isostearyl myristate, isostearyl palmitate, isostearyl stearate, isostearyl isostearate, isostearyl oleate, isostearyl behenate, isostearyl oleate, oleyl myristate, oleyl palmitate, oleyl stearate, oleyl isostearate, oleyl oleate, oleyl behenate, oleyl erucate, behenyl myristate, behenyl palmitate, behenyl stearate, behenyl isostearate, behenyl oleate, behenyl behenate, behenyl erucate, erucyl myristate, erucyl palmitate, erucyl stearate, erucyl isostearate, erucyl oleate, erucyl behenate and erucyl erucate. Also suitable are esters of linear C₆-C₂₂-fatty acids with branched alcohols, in particular 2-ethylhexanol, esters of C₁₈-C₃₈-alkylhydroxy carboxylic acids with linear or branched C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohols, in particular Dioctyl Malate, esters of linear and/or branched fatty acids with polyhydric alcohols (such as, for example, propylene glycol, dimerdiol or trimertriol) and/or Guerbet alcohols, triglycerides based on C₆-C₁₀-fatty acids, liquid mono-/di-/triglyceride mixtures based on C₆-C₁₈-fatty acids, esters of C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohols and/or Guerbet alcohols with aromatic carboxylic acids, in particular benzoic acid, esters of C₂-C₁₂-dicarboxylic acids with linear or branched alcohols having 1 to 22 carbon atoms or polyols having 2 to 10 carbon atoms and 2 to 6 hydroxyl groups, vegetable oils, branched primary alcohols, substituted cyclohexanes, linear and branched C₆-C₂₂-fatty alcohol carbonates, such as, for example, Dicaprylyl Carbonate (Cetiol® CC), Guerbet carbonates, based on fatty alcohols having 6 to 18, preferably 8 to 10, carbon atoms, esters of benzoic acid with linear and/or branched C₆-C₂₂-alcohols (e.g. Finsolv® TN), linear or branched, symmetrical or asymmetrical dialkyl ethers having 6 to 22 carbon atoms per alkyl group, such as, for example, dicaprylyl ether (Cetiol® OE), ring-opening products of epoxidized fatty acid esters with polyols, silicone oils (cyclomethicones, silicone methicone grades, etc.) and/or aliphatic or naphthenic hydrocarbons, such as, for example, squalane, squalene or dialkylcyclohexanes.

Emulsifiers

Other surfactants may also be added to the preparations as emulsifiers, including for example:

-   -   products of the addition of 2 to 30 mol ethylene oxide and/or 0         to 5 mol propylene oxide onto linear C₈₋₂₂ fatty alcohols, onto         C₁₂₋₂₂ fatty acids and onto alkyl phenols containing 8 to 15         carbon atoms in the alkyl group;     -   C_(12/18) fatty acid monoesters and diesters of addition         products of 1 to 30 mol ethylene oxide onto glycerol;     -   glycerol mono- and diesters and sorbitan mono- and diesters of         saturated and unsaturated fatty acids containing 6 to 22 carbon         atoms and ethylene oxide addition products thereof;     -   addition products of 15 to 60 mol ethylene oxide onto castor oil         and/or hydrogenated castor oil;     -   polyol esters and, in particular, polyglycerol esters such as,         for example, polyglycerol polyricinoleate, polyglycerol         poly-12-hydroxystearate or polyglycerol dimerate isostearate.         Mixtures of compounds from several of these classes are also         suitable;     -   addition products of 2 to 15 mol ethylene oxide onto castor oil         and/or hydrogenated castor oil;     -   partial esters based on linear, branched, unsaturated or         saturated C_(6/22) fatty acids, ricinoleic acid and         12-hydroxystearic acid and glycerol, polyglycerol,         pentaerythritol, -dipentaerythritol, sugar alcohols (for example         sorbitol), alkyl glucosides (for example methyl glucoside, butyl         glucoside, lauryl glucoside) and polyglucosides (for example         cellulose);     -   mono-, di and trialkyl phosphates and mono-, di- and/or         tri-PEG-alkyl phosphates and salts thereof;     -   wool wax alcohols;     -   polysiloxane/polyalkyl polyether copolymers and corresponding         derivatives;     -   mixed esters of pentaerythritol, fatty acids, citric acid and         fatty alcohol and/or mixed esters of C₆₋₂₂ fatty acids, methyl         glucose and polyols, preferably glycerol or polyglycerol,     -   polyalkylene glycols and     -   glycerol carbonate.

The addition products of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide onto fatty alcohols, fatty acids, alkylphenols, glycerol mono- and diesters and sorbitan mono- and diesters of fatty acids or onto castor oil are known commercially available products. They are homologue mixtures of which the average degree of alkoxylation corresponds to the ratio between the quantities of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide and substrate with which the addition reaction is carried out. C_(12/18) fatty acid monoesters and diesters of addition products of ethylene oxide onto glycerol are known as lipid layer enhancers for cosmetic formulations. The preferred emulsifiers are described in more detail as follows:

Partial glycerides. Typical examples of suitable partial glycerides are hydroxystearic acid monoglyceride, hydroxystearic acid diglyceride, isostearic acid monoglyceride, isostearic acid diglyceride, oleic acid monoglyceride, oleic acid diglyceride, ricinoleic acid monoglyceride, ricinoleic acid diglyceride, linoleic acid monoglyceride, linoleic acid diglyceride, linolenic acid monoglyceride, linolenic acid diglyceride, erucic acid monoglyceride, erucic acid diglyceride, tartaric acid monoglyceride, tartaric acid diglyceride, citric acid monoglyceride, citric acid diglyceride, malic acid monoglyceride, malic acid diglyceride and technical mixtures thereof which may still contain small quantities of triglyceride from the production process. Addition products of 1 to 30 and preferably 5 to 10 mol ethylene oxide onto the partial glycerides mentioned are also suitable.

Sorbitan esters. Suitable sorbitan esters are sorbitan monoisostearate, sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan diisostearate, sorbitan triisostearate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan sesquioleate, sorbitan dioleate, sorbitan trioleate, sorbitan monoerucate, sorbitan sesquierucate, sorbitan dierucate, sorbitan trierucate, sorbitan monoricinoleate, sorbitan sesquiricinoleate, sorbitan diricinoleate, sorbitan triricinoleate, sorbitan monohydroxystearate, sorbitan sesquihydroxystearate, sorbitan dihydroxystearate, sorbitan trihydroxystearate, sorbitan monotartrate, sorbitan sesquitartrate, sorbitan ditartrate, sorbitan tritartrate, sorbitan monocitrate, sorbitan sesquicitrate, sorbitan dicitrate, sorbitan tricitrate, sorbitan monomaleate, sorbitan sesquimaleate, sorbitan dimaleate, sorbitan trimaleate and technical mixtures thereof. Addition products of 1 to 30 and preferably 5 to 10 mol ethylene oxide onto the sorbitan esters mentioned are also suitable.

Polyglycerol esters. Typical examples of suitable polyglycerol esters are Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate (Dehymuls® PGPH), Polyglycerin-3-Diisostearate (Lameform® TGI), Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate (Isolan® GI 34), Polyglyceryl-3 Oleate, Diisostearoyl Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate (Isolan® PDI), Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate (Tego Care® 450), Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax (Cera Bellina®), Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate (Polyglycerol Caprate T2010/90), Polyglyceryl-3 Cetyl Ether (Chimexane® NL), Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate (Cremophor® GS 32) and Polyglyceryl Polyricinoleate (Admul® WOL 1403), Polyglyceryl Dimerate Isostearate and mixtures thereof. Examples of other suitable polyolesters are the mono-, di- and triesters of trimethylol propane or pentaerythritol with lauric acid, cocofatty acid, tallow fatty acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, behenic acid and the like optionally reacted with 1 to 30 mol ethylene oxide.

Anionic emulsifiers. Typical anionic emulsifiers are aliphatic C₁₂₋₂₂ fatty acids, such as palmitic acid, stearic acid or behenic acid for example, and C₁₂₋₂₂ dicarboxylic acids, such as azelaic acid or sebacic acid for example.

Amphoteric emulsifiers. Other suitable emulsifiers are amphboteric or zwitterionic surfactants. Zwitterionic surfactants are surface-active compounds which contain at least one quaternary ammonium group and at least one carboxylate and one sulfonate group in the molecule. Particularly suitable zwitterionic surfactants are the so-called betaines, such as the N-alkyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium glycinates, for example cocoalkyl dimethyl ammonium glycinate, N-acylaminopropyl-N,N-dimethyl ammonium glycinates, for example cocoacylaminopropyl dimethyl ammonium glycinate, and 2-alkyl-3-carboxymethyl-3-hydroxyethyl imidazolines containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl or acyl group and cocoacylaminoethyl hydroxyethyl carboxymethyl glycinate. The fatty acid amide derivative known under the CTFA name of Cocamidopropyl Betaine is particularly preferred. Ampholytic surfactants are also suitable emulsifiers. Ampholytic surfactants are surface-active compounds which, in addition to a C_(8/18) alkyl or acyl group, contain at least one free amino group and at least one —COOH— or —SO₃H— group in the molecule and which are capable of forming inner salts. Examples of suitable ampholytic surfactants are N-alkyl glycines, N-alkyl propionic acids, N-alkylaminobutyric acids, N-alkyliminodipropionic acids, N-hydroxyethyl-N-alkylamidopropyl glycines, N-alkyl taurines, N-alkyl sarcosines, 2-alkyl-aminopropionic acids and alkylaminoacetic acids containing around 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group. Particularly preferred ampholytic surfactants are N-cocoalkylamino-propionate, cocoacylaminoethyl aminopropionate and C_(12/18) acyl sarcosine.

Superfatting Agents and Consistency Factors

Superfatting agents may be selected from such substances as, for example, lanolin and lecithin and also polyethoxylated or acylated lanolin and lecithin derivatives, polyol fatty acid esters, monoglycerides and fatty acid alkanolamides, the fatty acid alkanolamides also serving as foam stabilizers.

The consistency factors mainly used are fatty alcohols or hydroxyfatty alcohols containing 12 to 22 and preferably 16 to 18 carbon atoms and also partial glycerides, fatty acids or hydroxyfatty acids. A combination of these substances with alkyl oligoglucosides and/or fatty acid N-methyl glucamides of the same chain length and/or polyglycerol poly-12-hydroxystearates is preferably used.

Thickening Agents and Rheology Additives

Suitable thickeners are polymeric thickeners, such as Aerosil® types (hydrophilic silicas), polysaccharides, more especially xanthan gum, guar-guar, agar-agar, alginates and tyloses, carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose, also relatively high molecular weight polyethylene glycol monoesters and diesters of fatty acids, polyacrylates (for example Carbopols® [Goodrich] or Synthalens® [Sigma]), polyacrylamides, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, surfactants such as, for example, ethoxylated fatty acid glycerides, esters of fatty acids with polyols, for example pentaerythritol or trimethylol propane, narrow-range fatty alcohol ethoxylates and electrolytes, such as sodium chloride and ammonium chloride.

Polymers

Suitable cationic polymers are, for example, cationic cellulose derivatives such as, for example, the quaternized hydroxyethyl cellulose obtainable from Amerchol under the name of Polymer JR 400®, cationic starch, copolymers of diallyl ammonium salts and acrylamides, quaternized vinyl pyrrolidone/vinyl imidazole polymers such as, for example, Luviquat® (BASF), condensation products of polyglycols and amines, quaternized collagen polypeptides such as, for example, Lauryldimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Collagen (Lamequat® L, Grunau), quaternized wheat polypeptides, polyethyleneimine, cationic silicone polymers such as, for example, amodimethicone, copolymers of adipic acid and dimethylaminohy-droxypropyl diethylenetriamine (Cartaretine®, Sandoz), copolymers of acrylic acid with dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (Merquat® 550, Chemviron), polyaminopolyamides and crosslinked water-soluble polymers thereof, cationic chitin derivatives such as, for example, quaternized chitosan, optionally in microcrystalline distribution, condensation products of dihaloalkyls, for example dibromobutane, with bis-dialkylamines, for example bis-dimethylamino-1,3-propane, cationic guar gum such as, for example, Jaguar CBS, Jaguar C-17, Jaguar® C-16 of Celanese, quaternized ammonium salt polymers such as, for example, Mirapol® A-15, Mirapol® AD-1, Mirapol® AZ-1 of Miranol and the various polyquaternium types (for example 6, 7, 32 or 37) which can be found in the market under the tradenames Rheocare® CC or Ultragel® 300.

Suitable anionic, zwitterionic, amphoteric and nonionic polymers are, for example, vinyl acetate/crotonic acid copolymers, vinyl pyrrolidone/vinyl acrylate copolymers, vinyl acetate/butyl maleate/isobornyl acrylate copolymers, methyl vinylether/maleic anhydride copolymers and esters thereof, uncrosslinked and polyol-crosslinked polyacrylic acids, acrylamidopropyl trimethylammonium chloride/acrylate copolymers, octylacryl-amide/methyl methacrylate/tert.-butylaminoethyl methacrylate/2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate copolymers, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, vinyl pyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymers, vinyl pyrrolidone/dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate/vinyl caprolactam terpolymers and optionally derivatized cellulose ethers and silicones.

Pearlizing Waxes

Suitable pearlising waxes are, for example, alkylene glycol esters, especially ethylene glycol distearate; fatty acid alkanolamides, especially cocofatty acid diethanolamide; partial glycerides, especially stearic acid monoglyceride; esters of polybasic, optionally hydroxy-substituted carboxylic acids with fatty alcohols containing 6 to 22 carbon atoms, especially long-chain esters of tartaric acid; fatty compounds, such as for example fatty alcohols, fatty ketones, fatty aldehydes, fatty ethers and fatty carbonates which contain in all at least 24 carbon atoms, especially laurone and distearylether; fatty acids, such as stearic acid, hydroxystearic acid or behenic acid, ring opening products of olefin epoxides containing 12 to 22 carbon atoms with fatty alcohols containing 12 to 22 carbon atoms and/or polyols containing 2 to 15 carbon atoms and 2 to 10 hydroxyl groups and mixtures thereof.

Silicones

Suitable silicone compounds are, for example, dimethyl polysiloxanes, methylphenyl polysiloxanes, cyclic silicones and amino-, fatty acid-, alcohol-, polyether-, epoxy-, fluorine-, glycoside- and/or alkyl-modified silicone compounds which may be both liquid and resin-like at room temperature. Other suitable silicone compounds are simethicones which are mixtures of dimethicones with an average chain length of 200 to 300 dimethylsiloxane units and hydrogenated silicates. A detailed overview of suitable volatile silicones can be found in Todd et al. in Cosm. Toil. 91, 27 (1976).

Waxes and Stabilizers

Besides natural oils used, waxes may also be present in the preparations, more especially natural waxes such as, for example, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, Japan wax, espartograss wax, cork wax, guaruma wax, rice oil wax, sugar cane wax, ouricury wax, montan wax, beeswax, shellac wax, spermaceti, lanolin (wool wax), uropygial fat, ceresine, ozocerite (earth wax), petrolatum, paraffin waxes and microwaxes; chemically modified waxes (hard waxes) such as, for example, montan ester waxes, sasol waxes, hydrogenated jojoba waxes and synthetic waxes such as, for example, polyalkylene waxes and polyethylene glycol waxes.

Metal salts of fatty acids such as, for example, magnesium, aluminium and/or zinc stearate or ricinoleate may be used as stabilizers.

Primary Sun Protection Factors

Primary sun protection factors in the context of the invention are, for example, organic substances (light filters) which are liquid or crystalline at room temperature and which are capable of absorbing ultraviolet radiation and of releasing the energy absorbed in the form of longer-wave radiation, for example heat.

The formulations according to the invention advantageously contain at least one UV-A filter and/or at least one UV-B filter and/or a broadband filter and/or at least one inorganic pigment. Formulations according to the invention preferably contain at least one UV-B filter or a broadband filter, more particularly preferably at least one UV-A filter and at least one UV-B filter.

Preferred cosmetic compositions, preferably topical formulations according to the present invention comprise one, two, three or more sun protection factors selected from the group consisting of 4-aminobenzoic acid and derivatives, salicylic acid derivatives, benzophenone derivatives, dibenzoylmethane derivatives, diphenyl acrylates, 3-imidazol-4-yl acrylic acid and esters thereof, benzofuran derivatives, benzylidene malonate derivatives, polymeric UV absorbers containing one or more organosilicon radicals, cinnamic acid derivatives, camphor derivatives, trianilino-s-triazine derivatives, 2-hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole derivatives, phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid derivatives and salts thereof, anthranilic acid menthyl esters, benzotriazole derivatives and indole derivatives.

In addition, it is advantageous to combine compounds of formula (1) with active ingredients which penetrate into the skin and protect the skin cells from inside against sunlight-induced damage and reduce the level of cutaneous matrix metalloproteases. Preferred respective ingredients, so called arylhydrocarbon receptor antagonists, are described in WO 2007/128723, incorporated herein by reference. Preferred is 2-benzylidene-5,6-dimethoxy-3,3-dimethylindan-1-one.

The UV filters cited below which can be used within the context of the present invention are preferred but naturally are not limiting.

UV filters which are preferably used are selected from the group consisting of

-   p-aminobenzoic acid -   p-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester (25 mol) ethoxylated (INCI name:     PEG-25 PABA) -   p-dimethylaminobenzoic acid-2-ethylhexyl ester -   p-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester (2 mol) N-propoxylated -   p-aminobenzoic acid glycerol ester -   salicylic acid homomenthyl ester (homosalates) (Neo Heliopan® HMS) -   salicylic acid-2-ethylhexyl ester (Neo Heliopan® OS) -   triethanolamine salicylate -   4-isopropyl benzyl salicylate -   anthranilic acid menthyl ester (Neo Heliopan® MA) -   diisopropyl cinnamic acid ethyl ester -   p-methoxycinnamic acid-2-ethylhexyl ester (Neo Heliopan®AV) -   diisopropyl cinnamic acid methyl ester -   p-methoxycinnamic acid isoamyl ester (Neo Heliopan® E 1000) -   p-methoxycinnamic acid diethanolamine salt -   p-methoxycinnamic acid isopropyl ester -   2-phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid and salts (Neo Heliopan®Hydro) -   3-(4′-trimethylammonium) benzylidene bornan-2-one methyl sulfate -   beta-imidazole-4(5)-acrylic acid (urocanic acid) -   3-(4′-sulfo)benzylidene bornan-2-one and salts -   3-(4′-methyl benzylidene)-D,L-camphor (Neo Heliopan® MBC) -   3-benzylidene-D,L-camphor -   N-[(2 and 4)-[2-(oxoborn-3-ylidene) methyl]benzyl] acrylamide     polymer -   4,4′-[(6-[4-(1,1-dimethyl)aminocarbonyl)     phenylamino]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)diimino]-bis-(benzoic     acid-2-ethylhexyl ester) (Uvasorb®HEB) -   benzylidene malonate polysiloxane (Parsol®SLX) -   glyceryl ethylhexanoate dimethoxycinnamate -   dipropylene glycol salicylate -   tris(2-ethylhexyl)-4,4′,4″-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyltriimino)tribenzoate     (=2,4,6-trianilino-(p-carbo-2′-ethylhexyl-1′-oxy)-1,3,5-triazine)     (Uvinul®T150).

Broadband filters which are preferably combined with one or more compounds of formula (1) in a preparation according to the present invention are selected from the group consisting of

-   2-ethylhexyl-2-cyano-3,3-diphenyl acrylate (Neo Heliopan®303) -   ethyl-2-cyano-3,3′-diphenyl acrylate -   2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (Neo Heliopan®BB) -   2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfonic acid -   dihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone -   2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone -   tetrahydroxybenzophenone -   2,2′-dihydroxy-4,4′-dimethoxybenzophenone -   2-hydroxy-4-n-octoxybenzophenone -   2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-4′-methyl benzophenone -   sodium hydroxymethoxybenzophenone sulfonate -   disodium-2,2′-dihydroxy-4,4′-dimethoxy-5,5′-disulfobenzophenone -   phenol,     2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-methyl-6-(2-methyl-3(1,3,3,3-tetramethyl-1-(trime-thylsilyl)oxy)disiloxyanyl)     propyl) (Mexoryl®XL) -   2,2′-methylene     bis-(6-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) phenol)     (Tinosorb®M) -   2,4-bis-[4-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2-hydroxyphenyl]-1,3,5-triazine -   2,4-bis-[{(4-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine     (Tinosorb®S) -   2,4-bis-[{(4-(3-sulfonato)-2-hydroxypropyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine     sodium salt -   2,4-bis-[{(3-(2-propyloxy)-2-hydroxypropyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine -   2,4-bis-[{4-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-[4-(2-methoxyethyl     carbonyl) phenylamino]-1,3,5-triazine -   2,4-bis-[{4-(3-(2-propyloxy)-2-hydroxypropyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-[4-(2-ethylcarboxyl)     phenylamino]-1,3,5-triazine -   2,4-bis-[{4-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-(1-methylpyrrol-2-yl)-1,3,5-triazine -   2,4-bis-[{4-tris-(trimethylsiloxysilylpropyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine -   2,4-bis-[{4-(2″-methylpropenyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine -   2,4-bis-[{4-(1′,1′,1′,3′,5′,5′,5′-heptamethylsiloxy-2″-methylpropyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine.

The compositions can comprise further typical detergent and cleansing composition ingredients such as UV-A filters which are preferably combined with one or more compounds of formula (1) in a preparation according to the present invention are selected from the group consisting of

-   4-isopropyl dibenzoyl methane -   terephthalylidene dibornane sulfonic acid and salts (Mexoryl®SX) -   4-t-butyl-4′-methoxydibenzoyl methane (avobenzone)/(Neo     Heliopan®357) -   phenylene bis-benzimidazyl tetrasulfonic acid disodium salt (Neo     Heliopan®AP) -   2,2′-(1,4-phenylene)-bis-(1H-benzimidazole-4,6-disulfonic acid),     monosodium salt -   2-(4-diethylamino-2-hydroxybenzoyl) benzoic acid hexyl ester     (Uvinul® A Plus) -   indanylidene compounds in accordance with DE 100 55 940 A1 (=WO 2002     038537 A1)

The compositions can comprise further typical detergent and cleansing composition ingredients such as UV filters which are more preferably combined with one or more compounds of formula (1) in a preparation according to the present invention are selected from the group consisting of

-   p-aminobenzoic acid -   3-(4′-trimethylammonium) benzylidene bornan-2-one methyl sulfate -   salicylic acid homomenthyl ester (Neo Heliopan® HMS) -   2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (Neo Heliopan®BB) -   2-phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid (Neo Heliopan® Hydro) -   terephthalylidene dibornane sulfonic acid and salts (Mexoryl®SX) -   4-tert-butyl-4′-methoxydibenzoyl methane (Neo Heliopan®357) -   3-(4′-sulfo)benzylidene bornan-2-one and salts -   2-ethylhexyl-2-cyano-3,3-diphenyl acrylate (Neo Heliopan®303) -   N-[(2 and 4)-[2-(oxoborn-3-ylidene) methyl]benzyl] acrylamide     polymer -   p-methoxycinnamic acid-2-ethylhexyl ester (Neo Heliopan®AV) -   p-aminobenzoic acid ethyl ester (25 mol) ethoxylated (INCI name:     PEG-25 PABA) -   p-methoxycinnamic acid isoamyl ester (Neo Heliopan®E1000) -   2,4,6-trianilino-(p-carbo-2′-ethylhexyl-1′-oxy)-1,3,5-triazine     (Uvinul®T150) -   phenol,     2-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-methyl-6-(2-methyl-3(1,3,3,3-tetramethyl-1-(trime-thylsilyl)oxy)disiloxyanyl)     propyl) (Mexoryl®XL) -   4,4′-[(6-[4-(1,1-dimethyl)aminocarbonyl)     phenylamino]-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)diimino]-bis-(benzoic     acid-2-ethylhexyl ester) (Uvasorb HEB) -   3-(4′-methyl benzylidene)-D,L-camphor (Neo Heliopan® MBC) -   3-benzylidene camphor -   salicylic acid-2-ethylhexyl ester (Neo Heliopan® OS) -   4-dimethylaminobenzoic acid-2-ethylhexyl ester (Padimate 0) -   hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone-5-sulfonic acid and Na salt -   2,2′-methylene     bis-(6-(2H-benzotriazol-2-yl)-4-1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) phenol)     (Tinosorb®M) -   phenylene bis-benzimidazyl tetrasulfonic acid disodium salt (Neo     Heliopan®AP) -   2,4-bis-[{(4-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2-hydroxy}phenyl]-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine     (Tinosorb®S) -   benzylidene malonate polysiloxane (Parsol®SLX) -   menthyl anthranilate (Neo Heliopan®MA) -   2-(4-diethylamino-2-hydroxybenzoyl) benzoic acid hexyl ester     (Uvinul® A Plus) -   indanylidene compounds in accordance with DE 100 55 940 (=WO     02/38537).

Advantageous primary and also secondary sun protection factors are mentioned in WO 2005 123101 A1. Advantageously, these preparations contain at least one UVA filter and/or at least one UVB filter and/or at least one inorganic pigment. The preparations may be present here in various forms such as are conventionally used for sun protection preparations. Thus, they may be in form of a solution, an emulsion of the water-in-oil type (W/O) or of the oil-in-water type (0/W) or a multiple emulsion, for example of the water-in-oil-in-water type (W/O/W), a gel, a hydrodispersion, a solid stick or else an aerosol.

In a further preferred embodiment a formulation according to the invention contains a total amount of sunscreen agents, i.e. in particular UV filters and/or inorganic pigments (UV filtering pigments) so that the formulation according to the invention has a light protection factor of greater than or equal to 2 (preferably greater than or equal to 5). Such formulations according to the invention are particularly suitable for protecting the skin and hair.

Secondary Sun Protection Factors

Besides the groups of primary sun protection factors mentioned above, secondary sun protection factors of the antioxidant type may also be used. Secondary sun protection factors of the antioxidant type interrupt the photochemical reaction chain which is initiated when UV rays penetrate into the skin. Typical examples are amino acids (for example glycine, histidine, tyrosine, tryptophane) and derivatives thereof, imidazoles (for example urocanic acid) and derivatives thereof, peptides, such as D,L-carnosine, D-carnosine, L-carnosine and derivatives thereof (for example anserine), carotinoids, carotenes (for example alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene) and derivatives thereof, chlorogenic acid and derivatives thereof, liponic acid and derivatives thereof (for example dihydroliponic acid), aurothioglucose, propylthiouracil and other thiols (for example thioredoxine, glutathione, cysteine, cystine, cystamine and glycosyl, N-acetyl, methyl, ethyl, propyl, amyl, butyl and lauryl, palmitoyl, oleyl, alpha-linoleyl, cholesteryl and glyceryl esters thereof) and their salts, dilaurylthiodipropionate, distearylthiodipropionate, thiodipropionic acid and derivatives thereof (esters, ethers, peptides, lipids, nucleotides, nucleosides and salts) and sulfoximine compounds (for example butionine sulfoximines, homocysteine sulfoximine, butionine sulfones, penta-, hexa- and hepta-thionine sulfoximine) in very small compatible dosages, also (metal) chelators (for example alpha-hydroxyfatty acids, palmitic acid, phytic acid, lactoferrine), alpha-hydroxy acids (for example citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid), humic acid, bile acid, bile extracts, bilirubin, biliverdin, EDTA, EGTA and derivatives thereof, unsaturated fatty acids and derivatives thereof (for example linoleic acid, oleic acid), folic acid and derivatives thereof, ubiquinone and ubiquinol and derivatives thereof, vitamin C and derivatives thereof (for example ascorbyl palmitate, Mg ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl acetate), tocopherols and derivatives (for example vitamin E acetate), vitamin A and derivatives (vitamin A palmitate) and coniferyl benzoate of benzoin resin, rutinic acid and derivatives thereof, glycosyl rutin, ferulic acid, furfurylidene glucitol, carnosine, butyl hydroxytoluene, butyl hydroxyanisole, nordihydroguaiac resin acid, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, trihydroxybutyrophenone, uric acid and derivatives thereof, mannose and derivatives thereof, superoxide dismutase, titanium dioxide (for example dispersions in ethanol), zinc and derivatives thereof (for example ZnO, ZnSO₄), selenium and derivatives thereof (for example selenium methionine), stilbenes and derivatives thereof (for example stilbene oxide, trans-stilbene oxide) and derivatives of these active substances suitable for the purposes of the invention (salts, esters, ethers, sugars, nucleotides, nucleosides, peptides and lipids).

Advantageous inorganic secondary light protection pigments are finely dispersed metal oxides and metal salts which are also mentioned in WO 2005 123101 A1. The total quantity of inorganic pigments, in particular hydrophobic inorganic micro-pigments in the finished cosmetic preparation according to the present invention is advantageously from 0.1 to 30% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 10.0% by weight, in each case based on the total weight of the preparation.

Also preferred are particulate UV filters or inorganic pigments, which can optionally be hydrophobed, can be used, such as the oxides of titanium (TiO₂), zinc (ZnO), iron (Fe₂O₃), zirconium (ZrO₂), silicon (SiO₂), manganese (e.g. MnO), aluminium (Al₂O₃), cerium (e.g. Ce₂O₃) and/or mixtures thereof.

Actives Modulating Skin and/or Hair Pigmentation

Preferred active ingredients for skin and/or hair lightening are selected from the group consisting of: kojic acid (5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4-pyranone), kojic acid derivatives, preferably kojic acid dipalmitate, arbutin, ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid derivatives, preferably magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, hydroquinone, hydroquinone derivatives, resorcinol, resorcinol derivatives, preferably 4-alkylresorcinols and 4-(1-phenylethyl)1,3-dihydroxybenzene (phenylethyl resorcinol), cyclohexylcarbamates (preferably one or more cyclohexyl carbamates disclosed in WO 2010/122178 and WO 2010/097480), sulfur-containing molecules, preferably glutathione or cysteine, alpha-hydroxy acids (preferably citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid), salts and esters thereof, N-acetyl tyrosine and derivatives, undecenoyl phenylalanine, gluconic acid, chromone derivatives, preferably aloesin, flavonoids, 1-aminoethyl phosphinic acid, thiourea derivatives, ellagic acid, nicotinamide (niacinamide), zinc salts, preferably zinc chloride or zinc gluconate, thujaplicin and derivatives, triterpenes, preferably maslinic acid, sterols, preferably ergosterol, benzofuranones, preferably senkyunolide, vinyl guiacol, ethyl guiacol, dionic acids, preferably octodecene dionic acid and/or azelaic acid, inhibitors of nitrogen oxide synthesis, preferably L-nitroarginine and derivatives thereof, 2,7-dinitroindazole or thiocitrulline, metal chelators (preferably alpha-hydroxy fatty acids, phytic acid, humic acid, bile acid, bile extracts, EDTA, EGTA and derivatives thereof), retinoids, soy milk and extract, serine protease inhibitors or lipoic acid or other synthetic or natural active ingredients for skin and hair lightening, the latter preferably used in the form of an extract from plants, preferably bearberry extract, rice extract, papaya extract, turmeric extract, mulberry extract, bengkoang extract, nutgrass extract, liquorice root extract or constituents concentrated or isolated therefrom, preferably glabridin or licochalcone A, artocarpus extract, extract of rumex and ramulus species, extracts of pine species (pinus), extracts of vitis species or stilbene derivatives isolated or concentrated therefrom, saxifrage extract, scutelleria extract, grape extract and/or microalgae extract, in particular Tetraselmis suecica Extract.

Preferred skin lighteners as component (b) are kojic acid and phenylethyl resorcinol as tyrosinase inhibitors, beta- and alpha-arbutin, hydroquinone, nicotinamide, dioic acid, Mg ascorbyl phosphate and vitamin C and its derivatives, mulberry extract, Bengkoang extract, papaya extract, turmeric extract, nutgrass extract, licorice extract (containing glycyrrhizin), alpha-hydroxy-acids, 4-alkylresorcinols, 4-hydroxyanisole. These skin lighteners are preferred due to their very good activity, in particular in combination with sclareolide according to the present invention. In addition, said preferred skin lighteners are readily available.

Advantageous skin and hair tanning active ingredients in this respect are substrates or substrate analogues of tyrosinase such as L-tyrosine, N-acetyl tyrosine, L-DOPA or L-dihydroxyphenylalanine, xanthine alkaloids such as caffeine, theobromine and theophylline and derivatives thereof, proopiomelanocortin peptides such as ACTH, alpha-MSH, peptide analogues thereof and other substances which bind to the melanocortin receptor, peptides such as Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly, Lys-Ile-Gly-Arg-Lys or Leu-Ile-Gly-Lys, purines, pyrimidines, folic acid, copper salts such as copper gluconate, chloride or pyrrolidonate, 1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiols such as 5-pyrazin-2-yl-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2-thiol, curcumin, zinc diglycinate (Zn(Gly)2), manganese(II) bicarbonate complexes (“pseudocat-alases”) as described for example in EP 0 584 178, tetrasubstituted cyclohexene deriva-tives as described for example in WO 2005/032501, isoprenoids as described in WO 2005/102252 and in WO 2006/010661, melanin derivatives such as Melasyn-100 and MelanZe, diacyl glycerols, aliphatic or cyclic diols, psoralens, prostaglandins and ana-logues thereof, activators of adenylate cyclase and compounds which activate the transfer of melanosomes to keratinocytes such as serine proteases or agonists of the PAR-2 receptor, extracts of plants and plant parts of the chrysanthemum species, san-guisorba species, walnut extracts, urucum extracts, rhubarb extracts, microalgae extracts, in particular Isochrysis galbana, trehalose, erythru-lose and dihydroxyacetone. Flavonoids which bring about skin and hair tinting or brown-ing (e.g. quercetin, rhamnetin, kaempferol, fisetin, genistein, daidzein, chrysin and apigenin, epicatechin, diosmin and diosmetin, morin, quercitrin, naringenin, hesperidin, phloridzin and phloretin) can also be used.

The amount of the aforementioned examples of additional active ingredients for the modulation of skin and hair pigmentation (one or more compounds) in the products according to the invention is then preferably 0.00001 to 30 wt. %, preferably 0.0001 to 20 wt. %, particularly preferably 0.001 to 5 wt. %, based on the total weight of the preparation.

Anti-Ageing Actives

In the context of the invention, anti-ageing or biogenic agents are, for example antioxidants, matrix-metalloproteinase inhibitors (MMPI), skin moisturizing agents, glycosaminglycan stimulkators, anti-inflammatory agents, TRPV1 antagonists and plant extracts.

Antioxidants. Suitable antioxidants encompass amino acids (preferably glycine, histidine, tyrosine, tryptophane) and derivatives thereof, imidazoles (preferably urocanic acid) and derivatives thereof, peptides, preferably D,L-carnosine, D-carnosine, L-carnosine and derivatives thereof (preferably anserine), carnitine, creatine, matrikine peptides (preferably lysyl-threonyl-threonyl-lysyl-serine) and palmitoylated pentapeptides, carotenoids, carotenes (preferably alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lycopene) and derivatives thereof, lipoic acid and derivatives thereof (preferably dihydrolipoic acid), aurothioglucose, propyl thiouracil and other thiols (preferably thioredoxine, glutathione, cysteine, cystine, cystamine and glycosyl, N-acetyl, methyl, ethyl, propyl, amyl, butyl and lauryl, palmitoyl, oleyl, gamma-linoleyl, cholesteryl, glyceryl and oligoglyceryl esters thereof) and salts thereof, dilauryl thiodipropionate, distearyl thiodipropionate, thiodipropionic acid and derivatives thereof (preferably esters, ethers, peptides, lipids, nucleotides, nucleosides and salts) and sulfoximine compounds (preferably buthionine sulfoximines, homocysteine sulfoximine, buthionine sulfones, penta-, hexa-, heptathionine sulfoximine) in very small tolerated doses (e.g. μmol to μmol/kg), also (metal) chelators (preferably alpha-hydroxy fatty acids, palmitic acid, phytic acid, lactoferrin, alpha-hydroxy acids (preferably citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid), humic acid, bile acid, bile extracts, tannins, bilirubin, biliverdin, EDTA, EGTA and derivatives thereof), unsaturated fatty acids and derivatives thereof (preferably gamma-linolenic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid), folic acid and derivatives thereof, ubiquinone and derivatives thereof, ubiquinol and derivatives thereof, vitamin C and derivatives (preferably ascorbyl palmitate, Mg ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl acetate, ascorbyl glucoside), tocopherols and derivatives (preferably vitamin E acetate), vitamin A and derivatives (vitamin A palmitate) and coniferyl benzoate of benzoic resin, rutinic acid and derivatives thereof, flavonoids and glycosylated precursors thereof, in particular quercetin and derivatives thereof, preferably alpha-glucosyl rutin, rosmarinic acid, carnosol, carnosolic acid, resveratrol, caffeic acid and derivatives thereof, sinapic acid and derivatives thereof, ferulic acid and derivatives thereof, curcuminoids, chlorogenic acid and derivatives thereof, retinoids, preferably retinyl palmitate, retinol or tretinoin, ursolic acid, levulinic acid, butyl hydroxytoluene, butyl hydroxyanisole, nordihydroguaiac acid, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, trihydroxybutyrophenone, uric acid and derivatives thereof, mannose and derivatives thereof, zinc and derivatives thereof (preferably ZnO, ZnSO₄), selenium and derivatives thereof (preferably selenium methionine), superoxide dismutase, stilbenes and derivatives thereof (preferably stilbene oxide, trans-stilbene oxide) and the derivatives (salts, esters, ethers, sugars, nucleotides, nucleosides, peptides and lipids) of these cited active ingredients which are suitable according to the invention or extracts or fractions of plants having an antioxidant effect, preferably green tea, rooibos, honeybush, grape, rosemary, sage, melissa, thyme, lavender, olive, oats, cocoa, ginkgo, ginseng, liquorice, honeysuckle, sophora, pueraria, pinus, citrus, Phyllanthus emblica or St. John's wort, grape seeds, wheat germ, Phyllanthus emblica, coenzymes, preferably coenzyme Q10, plastoquinone and menaquinone. Preferred antioxidants are selected from the group consisting of vitamin A and derivatives, vitamin C and derivatives, tocopherol and derivatives, preferably tocopheryl acetate, and ubiquinone.

If vitamin E and/or derivatives thereof are used as the antioxidant(s), it is advantageous to choose their concentrations from the range from about 0.001 to about 10% b.w. based on the total weight of the formulation. If vitamin A or vitamin A derivatives or carotenes or derivatives thereof are used as the antioxidant(s), it is advantageous to choose their concentrations from the range from about 0.001 to about 10% b.w. based on the total weight of the formulation.

Matrix-Metalloproteinase inhibitors (MMPI). Preferred compositions comprise matrix-metalloproteinase inhibitors, especially those inhibiting matrix-metalloproteinases enzymatically cleaving collagen, selected from the group consisting of: ursolic acid, retinyl palmitate, propyl gallate, precocenes, 6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-1(2H)-benzopyran, 3,4-dihydro-6-hydroxy-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-1(2H)-benzopyran, benzamidine hydrochloride, the cysteine proteinase inhibitors N-ethylmalemide and epsilon-amino-n-caproic acid of the serinprotease inhibitors: phenylmethylsufonylfluoride, collhibin (company Pentapharm; INCI: hydrolysed rice protein), oenotherol (company Soliance; INCI: propylene glycol, aqua, Oenothera biennis root extract, ellagic acid and ellagitannins, for example from pomegranate), phosphoramidone hinokitiol, EDTA, galardin, EquiStat (company Collaborative Group; apple fruit extract, soya seed extract, ursolic acid, soya isoflavones and soya proteins), sage extracts, MDI (company Atrium; INCI: glycosaminoglycans), fermiskin (company Silab/Mawi; INCI: water and lentinus edodes extract), actimp 1.9.3 (company Expanscience/Rahn; INCI: hydrolysed lupine protein), lipobelle soyaglycone (company Mibelle; INCI: alcohol, polysorbate 80, lecithin and soy isoflavones), extracts from green and black tea and further plant extracts, which are listed in WO 02 069992 A1 (see tables 1-12 there, incorporated herein by reference), proteins or glycoproteins from soya, hydrolysed proteins from rice, pea or lupine, plant extracts which inhibit MMPs, preferably extracts from shitake mushrooms, extracts from the leaves of the Rosaceae family, sub-family Rosoideae, quite particularly extracts of blackberry leaf (preferably as described in WO 2005 123101 A1, incorporated herein by reference) as e.g. SymMatrix (company Symrise, INCI: Maltodextrin, Rubus fruticosus (Blackberry) Leaf Extract). Preferred actives of are selected from the group consisting of retinyl palmitate, ursolic acid, extracts from the leaves of the Rosaceae family, sub-family Rosoideae, genistein and daidzein.

Skin-moisturizing agents. Preferred skin moisturizing agents are selected from the group consisting of alkane diols or alkane triols comprising 3 to 12 carbon atoms, preferably C₃-C₁₀-alkane diols and C₃-C₁₀-alkane triols. More preferably the skin moisturizing agents are selected from the group consisting of: glycerol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,2-butylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, 1,2-pentanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, 1,2-octanediol and 1,2-decanediol.

Glycosaminoglycan stimulators. Preferred compositions comprise substances stimulating the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans selected from the group consisting of hyaluronic acid and derivatives or salts, Subliskin (Sederma, INCI: Sinorhizobium meliloti Ferment Filtrate, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lecithin), Hyalufix (BASF, INCI: Water, Butylene Glycol, Alpinia galanga leaf extract, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride), Stimulhyal (Soliance, INCI: Calcium ketogluconate), Syn-Glycan (DSM, INCI: Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Glycerin, Magnesium chloride), Kalpariane (Biotech Marine), DC Upregulex (Distinctive Cosmetic Ingredients, INCI: Water, Butylene Glycol, Phospholipids, Hydrolyzed Sericin), glucosamine, N-acetyl glucosamine, retinoids, preferably retinol and vitamin A, Arctium lappa fruit extract, Eriobotrya japonica extract, Genkwanin, N-Methyl-L-serine, (−)-alpha-bisabolol or synthetic alpha-bisabolol such as e.g. Dragosantol and Dragosantol 100 from Symrise, oat glucan, Echinacea purpurea extract and soy protein hydrolysate. Preferred actives are selected from the group consisting of hyaluronic acid and derivatives or salts, retinol and derivatives, (−)-alpha-bisabolol or synthetic alpha-bisabolol such as e.g. Dragosantol and Dragosantol 100 from Symrise, oat glucan, Echinacea purpurea extract, Sinorhizobium meliloti Ferment Filtrate, Calcium ketogluconate, Alpinia galanga leaf extract and tetradecyl aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric urea trifluoroacetate.

Anti-inflammatory agents. The compositions may also contain anti-inflammatory and/or redness and/or itch ameliorating ingredients, in particular steroidal substances of the corticosteroid type selected from the group consisting of hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, dexamethasone phosphate, methyl prednisolone or cortisone, are advantageously used as anti-inflammatory active ingredients or active ingredients to relieve reddening and itching, the list of which can be extended by the addition of other steroidal anti-inflammatories. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories can also be used. Examples which can be cited here are oxicams such as piroxicam or tenoxicam; salicylates such as aspirin, disalcid, solprin or fendosal; acetic acid derivatives such as diclofenac, fenclofenac, indomethacin, sulindac, tolmetin or clindanac; fenamates such as mefenamic, meclofenamic, flufenamic or niflumic; propionic acid derivatives such as ibuprofen, naproxen, benoxaprofen or pyrazoles such as phenylbutazone, oxyphenylbutazone, febrazone or azapropazone. Anthranilic acid derivatives, in particular avenanthramides described in WO 2004 047833 A1, are preferred anti-itch ingredients in a composition according to the present invention.

Also useful are natural or naturally occurring anti-inflammatory mixtures of substances or mixtures of substances that alleviate reddening and/or itching, in particular extracts or fractions from camomile, Aloe vera, Commiphora species, Rubia species, willow, willow-herb, oats, calendula, arnica, St John's wort, honeysuckle, rosemary, Passiflora incarnata, witch hazel, ginger or Echinacea; preferably selected from the group consisting of extracts or fractions from camomile, Aloe vera, oats, calendula, arnica, honeysuckle, rosemary, witch hazel, ginger or Echinacea, and/or pure substances, preferably alpha-bisabolol, apigenin, apigenin-7-glucoside, gingerols, shogaols, gingerdiols, dehydrogingerdiones, paradols, natural or naturally occuring avenanthramides, preferably tranilast, avenanthramide A, avenanthramide B, avenanthramide C, non-natural or non-naturally occuring avenanthramides, preferably dihydroavenanthramide D, dihydroavenanthramide E, avenanthramide D, avenan-thramide E, avenanthramide F, boswellic acid, phytosterols, glycyrrhizin, glabridin and licochalcone A; preferably selected from the group consisting of alpha-bisabolol, natural avenanthramides, non-natural avenanthramides, preferably dihydroavenanthramide D (as described in WO 2004 047833 A1), boswellic acid, phytosterols, glycyrrhizin, and licochalcone A, and/or allantoin, panthenol, lanolin, (pseudo-)ceramides [preferably Ceramide 2, hydroxypropyl bispalmitamide MEA, cetyloxypropyl glyceryl methoxypropyl myristamide, N-(1-hexadecanoyl)-4-hydroxy-L-proline (1-hexadecyl) ester, hydroxyethyl palmityl oxyhydroxypropyl palmitamide], glycosphingolipids, phytosterols, chitosan, mannose, lactose and P-glucans, in particular 1,3-1,4-β-glucan from oats.

When bisabolol is used in the context of the present invention it can be of natural or synthetic origin, and is preferably “alpha-bisabolol”. Preferably, the bisabolol used is synthetically prepared or natural (−)-alpha-bisabolol and/or synthetic mixed-isomer alpha-bisabolol. If natural (−)-alpha-bisabolol is used, this can also be employed as a constituent of an essential oil or of a plant extract or of a fraction thereof, for example as a constituent of (fractions of) oil or extracts of camomile or of Vanillosmopsis (in particular Vanillosmopsis erythropappa or Vanillosmopsis arborea). Synthetic alpha-bisabolol is obtainable, for example, under the name “Dragosantol” from Symrise.

In case ginger extract is used in the context of the present invention, preferably extracts of the fresh or dried ginger root are used which are prepared by extraction with methanol, ethanol, iso-propanol, acetone, ethyl acetate, carbon dioxide (CO2), hexane, methylene chloride, chloroform or other solvents or solvent mixtures of comparable polarity. The extracts are characterized by the presence of active skin irritation-reducing amounts of constituents such as e.g. gingerols, shogaols, gingerdiols, dehydrogingerdiones and/or paradols.

TRPV1 antagonists. Suitable compounds which reduce the hypersensitivity of skin nerves based on their action as TRPV1 antagonists, encompass e.g. trans-4-tert-butyl cyclohexanol as described in WO 2009 087242 A1, or indirect modulators of TRPV1 by an activation of the a-receptor, e.g. acetyl tetrapeptide-15, are preferred.

Desquamating agents. The compositions may also contain desquamating agents (component b5) in amounts of about 0.1 to about 30% b.w. preferably about 0.5 to about 15% b.w., particularly preferably about 1 to about 10% b.w. based on the total weight of the preparation. The expression “desquamating agent” is understood to mean any compound capable of acting:

-   -   either directly on desquamation by promoting exfoliation, such         as P-hydroxy acids, in particular salicylic acid and its         derivatives (including 5-n-octanoylsalicylic acid); a-hydroxy         acids, such as glycolic, citric, lactic, tartaric, malic or         mandelic acids; urea; gentisic acid; oligofucoses; cinnamic         acid; extract of Sophora japonica; resveratrol and some         derivatives of jasmonic acid;     -   or on the enzymes involved in the desquamation or the         degradation of the corneodesmosomes, glycosidases, stratum         corneum chymotryptic enzyme (SCCE) or other proteases (trypsin,         chymotrypsin-like). There may be mentioned agents chelating         inorganic salts: EDTA; N-acyl-N,N′,N′-ethylenediaminetriacetic         acid; aminosulphonic compounds and in particular         (N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethane)sulphonic acid (HEPES);         derivatives of 2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid         (procysteine); derivatives of alpha-amino acids of the glycine         type (as described in EP-0 852 949, and sodium methylglycine         diacetate marketed by BASF under the trade name TRILON M);         honey; sugar derivatives such as 0-octanoyl-6-D-maltose and         N-acetylglucosamine; chestnut extracts such as those marketed by         the company SILAB under the name Recoverine®, prickly pear         extracts such as those marketed under the name Exfolactive® by         the company SILAB, or Phytosphingosine SLC® (phytosphingosine         grafted with a salicylic acid) marketed by the company Degussa.

Desquamating agents suitable for the invention may be chosen in particular from the group comprising sulphonic acids, calcium chelators, a-hydroxy acids such as glycolic, citric, lactic, tartaric, malic or mandelic acids; ascorbic acid and its derivatives such as ascorbyl glucoside and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate; nicotinamide; urea; (N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethane)sulphonic acid (HEPES), P-hydroxy acids such as salicylic acid and its derivatives, retinoids such as retinol and its esters, retinal, retinoic acid and its derivatives, those described in the documents FR 2570377 A1, EP 0199636 A1, EP 0325540 A1, EP 0402072 A1, chestnut or prickly pear extracts, in particular marketed by SILAB; reducing compounds such as cysteine or cysteine precursors.

Desquamating agents which can be used are also nicotinic acid and its esters and nicotinamide, also called vitamin B3 or vitamin PP, and ascorbic acid and its precursors, as described in particular in application EP 1529522 A1.

Anti-cellulite agents. Anti-cellulite agents and lipolytic agents are preferably selected from the group consisting of those described in WO 2007/077541, and beta-adrenergic receptor agonists such as synephrine and its derivatives, and cyclohexyl carbamates described in WO 2010/097479. Agents enhancing or boosting the activity of anti-cellulite agents, in particular agents which stimulate and/or depolarise C nerve fibres, are preferably selected from the group consisting of capsaicin and derivatives thereof, vanillyl-nonylamid and derivatives thereof, L-carnitine, coenzym A, isoflavonoides, soy extracts, ananas extract and conjugated linoleic acid.

Fat enhancing agents. Formulations and products according to the present invention may also comprise one or more fat enhancing and/or adipogenic agents as well as agents enhancing or boosting the activity of fat enhancing agents. A fat enhancing agent is for example hydroxymethoxyphenyl propylmethylmethoxybenzofuran (trade name: Sym3D®).

Hair Growth Activators or Inhibitors

Formulations and products according to the present invention may also comprise one or more hair growth activators, i.e. agents to stimulate hair growth. Hair growth activators are preferably selected from the group consisting of pyrimidine derivatives such as 2,4-diaminopyrimidine-3-oxide (Aminexil), 2,4-diamino-6-piperidinopyrimidine-3-oxide (Minoxidil) and derivatives thereof, 6-amino-1,2-dihydro-1-hydroxy-2-imino-4-piperidinopyrimidine and its derivatives, xanthine alkaloids such as caffeine, theobromine and theophylline and derivatives thereof, quercetin and derivatives, dihydroquercetin (taxifolin) and derivatives, potassium channel openers, antiandrogenic agents, synthetic or natural 5-reductase inhibitors, nicotinic acid esters such as tocopheryl nicotinate, benzyl nicotinate and C1-C6 alkyl nicotinate, proteins such as for example the tripeptide Lys-Pro-Val, diphencypren, hormons, finasteride, dutasteride, flutamide, bicalutamide, pregnane derivatives, progesterone and its derivatives, cyproterone acetate, spironolactone and other diuretics, calcineurin inhibitors such as FK506 (Tacrolimus, Fujimycin) and its derivatives, Cyclosporin A and derivatives thereof, zinc and zinc salts, polyphenols, procyanidins, proanthocyanidins, phytosterols such as for example beta-sitosterol, biotin, eugenol, (±)-beta-citronellol, panthenol, glycogen for example from mussels, extracts from microorganisms, algae, plants and plant parts of for example the genera dandelion (Leontodon or Taraxacum), Orthosiphon, Vitex, Coffea, Paullinia, Theobroma, Asiasarum, Cucurbita or Styphnolobium, Serenoa repens (saw palmetto), Sophora flavescens, Pygeum africanum, Panicum miliaceum, Cimicifuga racemosa, Glycine max, Eugenia caryophyllata, Cotinus coggygria, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Camellia sinensis, Ilex paraguariensis, Isochrysis galbana, licorice, grape, apple, barley or hops or/and hydrolysates from rice or wheat.

Alternatively, formulations and products according to the present invention may comprise one or more hair growth inhibitors (as described above), i.e. agents to reduce or prevent hair growth. Hair growth inhibitors are preferably selected from the group consisting of activin, activin derivatives or activin agonists, ornithine decarboxylase inhibitors such as alpha-difluoromethylornithine or pentacyclic triterpenes like for example ursolic acid, betulin, betulinic acid, oleanolic acid and derivatives thereof, 5alpha-reductase inhibitors, androgen receptor antagonists, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase inhibitors, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase inhibitors, transglutaminase inhibitors, soybean-derived serine protease inhibitors, extracts from microorganisms, algae, different microalgae or plants and plant parts of for example the families Leguminosae, Solanaceae, Graminae, Asclepiadaceae or Cucurbitaceae, the genera Chondrus, Gloiopeltis, Ceramium, Durvillea, Glycine max, Sanguisorba officinalis, Calendula officinalis, Hamamelis virginiana, Arnica montana, Salix alba, Hypericum perforatum or Gymnema sylvestre.

Physiological Cooling Agents

The compositions may also contain one or more substances with a physiological cooling effect (cooling agents), which are preferably selected here from the following list: menthol and menthol derivatives (for example L-menthol, D-menthol, racemic menthol, isomenthol, neoisomenthol, neomenthol) menthylethers (for example (1-menthoxy)-1,2-propandiol, (1-menthoxy)-2-methyl-1,2-propandiol, 1-menthyl-methylether), menthylesters (for example menthylformiate, menthylacetate, menthylisobutyrate, menthyllactates, L-menthyl-L-lactate, L-menthyl-D-lactate, menthyl-(2-methoxy)acetate, menthyl-(2-methoxyethoxy)acetate, menthylpyroglutamate), menthylcarbonates (for example menthylpropyleneglycolcarbonate, menthylethyleneglycolcarbonate, menthylglycerolcarbonate or mixtures thereof), the semi-esters of menthols with a dicarboxylic acid or derivatives thereof (for example mono-menthylsuccinate, mono-menthylglutarate, mono-menthylmalonate, O-menthyl succinic acid ester-N,N-(dimethyl)amide, O-menthyl succinic acid ester amide), menthanecarboxylic acid amides (in this case preferably menthanecarboxylic acid-N-ethylamide [WS3] or N^(α)-(menthanecarbonyl)glycinethylester [WS5], as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,052, menthanecarboxylic acid-N-(4-cyanophenyl)amide or menthanecarboxylic acid-N-(4-cyanomethylphenyl)amide as described in WO 2005 049553 A1, methanecarboxylic acid-N-(alkoxyalkyl)amides), menthone and menthone derivatives (for example L-menthone glycerol ketal), 2,3-dimethyl-2-(2-propyl)-butyric acid derivatives (for example 2,3-dimethyl-2-(2-propyl)-butyric acid-N-methylamide [WS23]), isopulegol or its esters (l-(−)-isopulegol, l-(−)-isopulegolacetate), menthane derivatives (for example p-menthane-3,8-diol), cubebol or synthetic or natural mixtures, containing cubebol, pyrrolidone derivatives of cycloalkyldione derivatives (for example 3-methyl-2(1-pyrrolidinyl)-2-cyclopentene-1-one) or tetrahydropyrimidine-2-one (for example iciline or related compounds, as described in WO 2004/026840), further carboxamides (for example N-(2-(pyridin-2-yl)ethyl)-3-p-menthanecarboxamide or related compounds), (1R,2S,5R)—N-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-5-methyl-2-(1-isopropyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide [WS12], oxamates (preferably those described in EP 2033688 A2).

Anti-Inflammatory Agents

Suitable anti-inflammatory agents may be selected from the group formed by:

-   (i) steroidal anti-inflammatory substances of the corticosteroid     type, in particular hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone derivatives such     as hydrocortisone 17-butyrate, dexamethasone, dexamethasone     phosphate, methylprednisolone or cortisone, -   (ii) non-steroidal anti-inflammatory substances, in particular     oxicams such as piroxicam or tenoxicam, salicylates such as aspirin,     disalcid, solprin or fendosal, acetic acid derivatives such as     diclofenac, fenclofenac, indomethacin, sulindac, tolmetin or     clindanac, fenamates such as mefenamic, meclofenamic, flufenamic or     niflumic, propionic acid derivatives such as ibuprofen, naproxen or     benoxaprofen, pyrazoles such as phenylbutazone, oxyphenylbutazone,     febrazone or azapropazone, -   (iii) natural or naturally occuring anti-inflammatory substances or     substances that alleviate reddening and/or itching, in particular     extracts or fractions from camomile, Aloe vera, Commiphora species,     Rubia species, willow, willow-herb, oats, calendula, arnica, St     John's wort, honeysuckle, rosemary, Passiflora incarnata, witch     hazel, ginger or Echinacea, or single active compounds thereof, -   (iv) histamine receptor antagonists, serine protease inhibitors     (e.g. of Soy extracts), TRPV1 antagonists (e.g.     4-t-Butylcyclohexanol), NK1 antagonists (e.g. Aprepitant,     Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid), cannabinoid receptor agonists     (e.g. Palmitoyl Ethanolamine) and TRPV3 antagonists.

Physiological Cooling Agents

Suitable physiological cooling agents may be selected from the group consisting of menthol, menthone glycerol acetal, menthone glyceryl ketal, menthyl lactate preferably l-menthyl lactate, in particular l-menthyl l-lactate), menthyl ethyl oxamate, substituted menthyl-3-carboxylic acid amides (e.g. menthyl-3-carboxylic acid N-ethylamide, N^(a)-(L-menthanecarbonyl)glycine ethyl ester, 2-isopropyl-N-2,3-trimethylbutanamide, substituted cyclohexanecarboxylic acid amides, 3-menthoxypropane-1,2-diol, 2-hydroxyethyl menthyl carbonate, 2-hydroxypropyl menthyl carbonate, N-acetylglycine menthyl ester, isopulegol, menthyl hydroxycarboxylic acid esters (e.g. menthyl 3-hydroxybutyrate), monomenthyl succinate, monomenthyl glutarate, 2-mercaptocyclodecanone, menthyl 2-pyrrolidin-5-onecarboxylate, 2,3-dihydroxy-p-menthane, 3,3,5-trimethylcyclohexanone glycerol ketal, 3-menthyl 3,6-di- and -trioxaalkanoates, 3-menthyl methoxyacetate and icilin.

Anti-Microbial Agents

Suitable anti-microbial agents are, in principle, all substances effective against Gram-positive bacteria, such as, for example, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and its salts and esters, N-(4-chlorophenyl)-N′-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea, 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxy-diphenyl ether (triclosan), 4-chloro-3,5-dimethyl-phenol, 2,2′-methylenebis(6-bromo-4-chlorophenol), 3-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)phenol, 2-benzyl-4-chloro-phenol, 3-(4-chlorophenoxy)-1,2-propanediol, 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate, chlorhexidine, 3,4,4′-trichlorocarbanilide (TTC), antibacterial fragrances, thymol, thyme oil, eugenol, oil of cloves, menthol, mint oil, farnesol, phenoxyethanol, glycerol monocaprate, glycerol monocaprylate, glycerol monolaurate (GML), diglycerol monocaprate (DMC), salicylic acid N-alkylamides, such as, for example, n-octylsalicylamide or n-decylsalicylamide.

Enzyme Inhibitors

Suitable enzyme inhibitors are, for example, esterase inhibitors. These are preferably trialkyl citrates, such as trimethyl citrate, tripropyl citrate, triisopropyl citrate, tributyl citrate and, in particular, triethyl citrate (Hydagen CAT). The substances inhibit enzyme activity, thereby reducing the formation of odour. Other substances which are suitable esterase inhibitors are sterol sulfates or phosphates, such as, for example, lanosterol, cholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol sulfate or phosphate, dicarboxylic acids and esters thereof, such as, for example, glutaric acid, monoethyl glutarate, diethyl glutarate, adipic acid, monoethyl adipate, diethyl adipate, malonic acid and diethyl malonate, hydroxycarboxylic acids and esters thereof, such as, for example, citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid or diethyl tartrate, and zinc glycinate.

Odour Absorbers and Antiperspirant Active Agents

Suitable odour absorbers are substances which are able to absorb and largely retain odour-forming compounds. They lower the partial pressure of the individual components, thus also reducing their rate of diffusion. It is important that perfumes must remain unimpaired in this process. Odour absorbers are not effective against bacteria. They comprise, for example, as main constituent, a complex zinc salt of ricinoleic acid or specific, largely odour-neutral fragrances which are known to the person skilled in the art as “fixatives”, such as, for example, extracts of labdanum or styrax or certain abietic acid derivatives. The odour masking agents are fragrances or perfume oils, which, in addition to their function as odour masking agents, give the deodorants their respective fragrance note. Perfume oils which may be mentioned are, for example, mixtures of natural and synthetic fragrances. Natural fragrances are extracts from flowers, stems and leaves, fruits, fruit peels, roots, woods, herbs and grasses, needles and branches, and resins and balsams. Also suitable are animal products, such as, for example, civet and castoreum. Typical synthetic fragrance compounds are products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol, and hydrocarbon type. Fragrance compounds of the ester type are, for example, benzyl acetate, p-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, linalyl acetate, phenylethyl acetate, linalyl benzoate, benzyl formate, allyl cyclohexylpropionate, styrallyl propionate and benzyl salicylate. The ethers include, for example, benzyl ethyl ether, and the aldehydes include, for example, the linear alkanals having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, citral, citronellal, citronellyloxyacetaldehyde, cyclamen aldehyde, hydroxycitronellal, lilial and bourgeonal, the ketones include, for example, the ionones and methyl cedryl ketone, the alcohols include anethole, citronellol, eugenol, isoeugenol, geraniol, linaool, phenylethyl alcohol and terpineol, and the hydrocarbons include mainly the terpenes and balsams. Preference is, however, given to using mixtures of different fragrances which together produce a pleasing fragrance note. Essential oils of relatively low volatility, which are mostly used as aroma components, are also suitable as perfume oils, e.g. sage oil, camomile oil, oil of cloves, melissa oil, mint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, linden flower oil, juniperberry oil, vetiver oil, olibanum oil, galbanum oil, labdanum oil and lavandin oil. Preference is given to using bergamot oil, dihydromyrcenol, lilial, lyral, citronellol, phenylethyl alcohol, a-hexylcinnamaldehyde, geraniol, benzylacetone, cyclamen aldehyde, linalool, boisambrene forte, ambroxan, indole, hedione, sandelice, lemon oil, mandarin oil, orange oil, allyl amyl glycolate, cyclovertal, lavandin oil, clary sage oil, P-damascone, geranium oil bourbon, cyclohexyl salicylate, Vertofix coeur, iso-E-super, Fixolide NP, evernyl, iraldein gamma, phenylacetic acid, geranyl acetate, benzyl acetate, rose oxide, romilat, irotyl and floramat alone or in mixtures.

Suitable astringent antiperspirant active ingredients are primarily salts of aluminium, zirconium or of zinc. Such suitable antihydrotic active ingredients are, for example, aluminium chloride, aluminium chlorohydrate, aluminium dichlorohydrate, aluminium sesquichlorohydrate and complex compounds thereof, e.g. with 1,2-propylene glycol, aluminium hydroxyallantoinate, aluminium chloride tartrate, aluminium zirconium trichlorohydrate, aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrate, aluminium zirconium pentachlorohydrate and complex compounds thereof, e.g. with amino acids, such as glycine.

Film Formers and Anti-Dandruff Agents

Standard film formers are, for example, chitosan, microcrystalline chitosan, quaternized chitosan, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, vinyl pyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymers, polymers of the acrylic acid series, quaternary cellulose derivatives, collagen, hyaluronic acid and salts thereof and similar compounds.

Suitable antidandruff agents are Pirocton Olamin (1-hydroxy-4-methyl-6-(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)-2-(1H)-pyridinone monoethanolamine salt), Baypival® (Climbazole), Ketoconazol® (4-acetyl-1-{4-[2-(2,4-dichlorophenyl) r-2-(1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-1,3-dioxylan-c-4-ylmethoxyphenyl}-piperazine, ketoconazole, elubiol, selenium disulfide, colloidal sulfur, sulfur polyethylene glycol sorbitan monooleate, sulfur ricinol polyethoxylate, sulfur tar distillate, salicylic acid (or in combination with hexachlorophene), undecylenic acid, monoethanolamide sulfosuccinate Na salt, Lamepon® UD (protein/undecylenic acid condensate), zinc pyrithione, aluminium pyrithione and magnesium pyrithione/dipyrithione magnesium sulfate.

Carriers and Hydrotropes

Preferred cosmetics carrier materials are solid or liquid at 25° C. and 1013 mbar (including highly viscous substances) as for example glycerol, 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,2-butylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, ethanol, water and mixtures of two or more of said liquid carrier materials with water. Optionally, these preparations according to the invention may be produced using preservatives or solubilizers. Other preferred liquid carrier substances, which may be a component of a preparation according to the invention are selected from the group consisting of oils such as vegetable oil, neutral oil and mineral oil.

Preferred solid carrier materials, which may be a component of a preparation according to the invention are hydrocolloids, such as starches, degraded starches, chemically or physically modified starches, dextrins, (powdery) maltodextrins (preferably with a dextrose equivalent value of 5 to 25, preferably of 10-20), lactose, silicon dioxide, glucose, modified celluloses, gum arabic, ghatti gum, traganth, karaya, carrageenan, pullulan, curdlan, xanthan gum, gellan gum, guar flour, carob bean flour, alginates, agar, pectin and inulin and mixtures of two or more of these solids, in particular maltodextrins (preferably with a dextrose equivalent value of 15-20), lactose, silicon dioxide and/or glucose.

In addition, hydrotropes, for example ethanol, isopropyl alcohol or polyols, may be used to improve flow behavior. Suitable polyols preferably contain 2 to 15 carbon atoms and at least two hydroxyl groups. The polyols may contain other functional groups, more especially amino groups, or may be modified with nitrogen. Typical examples are

-   -   glycerol;     -   alkylene glycols such as, for example, ethylene glycol,         diethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, hexylene         glycol and polyethylene glycols with an average molecular weight         of 100 to 1000 Dalton;     -   technical oligoglycerol mixtures with a degree of         self-condensation of 1.5 to 10, such as for example technical         diglycerol mixtures with a diglycerol content of 40 to 50% by         weight;     -   methylol compounds such as, in particular, trimethylol ethane,         trimethylol propane, trimethylol butane, pentaerythritol and         dipentaerythritol;     -   lower alkyl glucosides, particularly those containing 1 to 8         carbon atoms in the alkyl group, for example methyl and butyl         glucoside;     -   sugar alcohols containing 5 to 12 carbon atoms, for example         sorbitol or mannitol,     -   sugars containing 5 to 12 carbon atoms, for example glucose or         sucrose;     -   amino sugars, for example glucamine;     -   dialcoholamines, such as diethanolamine or         2-aminopropane-1,3-diol.

Preservatives

Suitable preservatives are, for example, phenoxyethanol, formaldehyde solution, parabens, pentanediol or sorbic acid and the other classes of compounds listed in Appendix 6, Parts A and B of the Kosmetikverordnung (“Cosmetics Directive”).

Perfume Oils and Fragrances

Suitable perfume oils are mixtures of natural and synthetic perfumes. Natural perfumes include the extracts of blossoms (lily, lavender, rose, jasmine, neroli, ylang-ylang), stems and leaves (geranium, patchouli, petitgrain), fruits (anise, coriander, caraway, juniper), fruit peel (bergamot, lemon, orange), roots (nutmeg, angelica, celery, cardamom, costus, iris, calmus), woods (pinewood, sandalwood, guaiac wood, cedarwood, rosewood), herbs and grasses (tarragon, lemon grass, sage, thyme), needles and branches (spruce, fir, pine, dwarf pine), resins and balsams (galbanum, elemi, benzoin, myrrh, olibanum, opoponax). Animal raw materials, for example civet and beaver, may also be used. Typical synthetic perfume compounds are products of the ester, ether, aldehyde, ketone, alcohol and hydrocarbon type. Examples of perfume compounds of the ester type are benzyl acetate, phenoxyethyl isobutyrate, p-tert.butyl cyclohexylacetate, linalyl acetate, dimethyl benzyl carbinyl acetate, phenyl ethyl acetate, linalyl benzoate, benzyl formate, ethylmethyl phenyl glycinate, allyl cyclohexyl propionate, styrallyl propionate and benzyl salicylate. Ethers include, for example, benzyl ethyl ether while aldehydes include, for example, the linear alkanals containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms, citral, citronellal, citronellyloxyacetaldehyde, cyclamen aldehyde, hydroxycitronellal, lilial and bourgeonal. Examples of suitable ketones are the ionones, *-isomethylionone and methyl cedryl ketone. Suitable alcohols are anethol, citronellol, eugenol, isoeugenol, geraniol, linalool, phenylethyl alcohol and terpineol. The hydrocarbons mainly include the terpenes and balsams. However, it is preferred to use mixtures of different perfume compounds which, together, produce an agreeable perfume. Other suitable perfume oils are essential oils of relatively low volatility which are mostly used as aroma components. Examples are sage oil, camomile oil, clove oil, melissa oil, mint oil, cinnamon leaf oil, lime-blossom oil, juniper berry oil, vetiver oil, olibanum oil, galbanum oil, ladanum oil and lavendin oil. The following are preferably used either individually or in the form of mixtures: bergamot oil, dihydromyrcenol, lilial, lyral, citronellol, phenylethyl alcohol, hexylcinnamaldehyde, geraniol, benzyl acetone, cyclamen aldehyde, linalool, Boisambrene Forte, Ambroxan, indole, hedione, sandelice, citrus oil, mandarin oil, orange oil, allylamyl glycolate, cyclovertal, lavendin oil, clary oil, damascone, geranium oil bourbon, cyclohexyl salicylate, Vertofix Coeur, Iso-E-Super, Fixolide NP, evernyl, iraldein gamma, phenylacetic acid, geranyl acetate, benzyl acetate, rose oxide, romillat, irotyl and floramat.

Dyes

Suitable dyes are any of the substances suitable and approved for cosmetic purposes as listed, for example, in the publication “Kosmetische Färbemittel” of the Farbstoffkommission der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft, Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, 1984, pages 81 to 106. Examples include cochineal red A (C.I. 16255), patent blue V (C.I. 42051), indigotin (C.I. 73015), chlorophyllin (C.I. 75810), quinoline yellow (C.I. 47005), titanium dioxide (C.I. 77891), indanthrene blue RS (C.I. 69800) and madder lake (C.I. 58000). Luminol may also be present as a luminescent dye. Advantageous coloured pigments are for example titanium dioxide, mica, iron oxides (e.g. Fe₂O₃ Fe₃O₄, FeO(OH)) and/or tin oxide. Advantageous dyes are for example carmine, Berlin blue, chromium oxide green, ultramarine blue and/or manganese violet.

Preparations

Preferred compositions according to the present inventions are selected from the group of products for treatment, protecting, care and cleansing of the skin and/or hair or as a make-up product, preferably as a leave-on product (meaning that the one or more compounds of formula (1) stay on the skin and/or hair for a longer period of time, compared to rinse-off products, so that the moisturizing and/or anti-ageing and/or wound healing promoting action thereof is more pronounced).

The formulations according to the invention are preferably in the form of an emulsion, e.g. W/O (water-in-oil), O/W (oil-in-water), W/O/W (water-in-oil-in-water), O/W/O (oil-in-water-in-oil) emulsion, PIT emulsion, Pickering emulsion, emulsion with a low oil content, micro- or nanoemulsion, a solution, e.g. in oil (fatty oils or fatty acid esters, in particular C₆-C₃₂ fatty acid C₂-C₃₀ esters) or silicone oil, dispersion, suspension, creme, lotion or milk, depending on the production method and ingredients, a gel (including hydrogel, hydrodispersion gel, oleogel), spray (e.g. pump spray or spray with propellant) or a foam or an impregnating solution for cosmetic wipes, a detergent, e.g. soap, synthetic detergent, liquid washing, shower and bath preparation, bath product (capsule, oil, tablet, salt, bath salt, soap, etc.), effervescent preparation, a skin care product such as e.g. an emulsion (as described above), ointment, paste, gel (as described above), oil, balsam, serum, powder (e.g. face powder, body powder), a mask, a pencil, stick, roll-on, pump, aerosol (foaming, non-foaming or post-foaming), a deodorant and/or antiperspirant, mouthwash and mouth rinse, a foot care product (including keratolytic, deodorant), an insect repellent, a sunscreen, aftersun preparation, a shaving product, aftershave balm, pre- and aftershave lotion, a depilatory agent, a hair care product such as e.g. shampoo (including 2-in-1 shampoo, anti-dandruff shampoo, baby shampoo, shampoo for dry scalps, concentrated shampoo), conditioner, hair tonic, hair water, hair rinse, styling creme, pomade, perm and setting lotion, hair spray, styling aid (e.g. gel or wax), hair smoothing agent (detangling agent, relaxer), hair dye such as e.g. temporary direct-dyeing hair dye, semi-permanent hair dye, permanent hair dye, hair conditioner, hair mousse, eye care product, make-up, make-up remover or baby product.

The formulations according to the invention are particularly preferably in the form of an emulsion, in particular in the form of a W/O, O/W, W/O/W, O/W/O emulsion, PIT emulsion, Pickering emulsion, emulsion with a low oil content, micro- or nanoemulsion, a gel (including hydrogel, hydrodispersion gel, oleogel), a solution e.g. in oil (fatty oils or fatty acid esters, in particular C₆-C₃₂ fatty acid C₂-C₃₀ esters)) or silicone oil, or a spray (e.g. pump spray or spray with propellant).

Auxiliary substances and additives can be included in quantities of 5 to 99% b.w., preferably 10 to 80% b.w., based on the total weight of the formulation. The amounts of cosmetic or dermatological auxiliary agents and additives and perfume to be used in each case can easily be determined by the person skilled in the art by simple trial and error, depending on the nature of the particular product.

The preparations can also contain water in a quantity of up to 99% b.w., preferably 5 to 80% b.w., based on the total weight of the preparation. The mixtures may contain the preservative mixtures in amounts of from 0.01 to about 5% b.w., particular of from 0.25 to about 2.5% b.w. and more particularly of from 0.5 to about 1% b.w.—calculated on the total composition.

Household Compositions

Another object of the present invention refers to a household composition, in particular to a detergent composition comprising the preservative mixtures of the present invention. Suitable examples for detergents encompass heavy duty powder detergents, heavy duty liquid detergents, light duty powder detergents, light duty liquid detergents, fabric softeners, manual dish wash agents, all-purpose cleaners and the like.

The detergent compositions according to the present invention may comprise any of the ingredients customarily found in such compositions, such as, for example, anionic, nonionic, cationic, amphoteric or zwitterionic (co-)surfactants, organic solvents, builders, enzymes and additional auxiliaries such as soil repellents, thickeners, colorants and fragrances or the like.

Anionic Co-Surfactants

Preferably, surfactants of the sulfonate type, alk(en)yl sulfonates, alkoxylated alk(en)yl sulfates, ester sulfonates and/or soaps are used as the anionic surfactants. Suitable surfactants of the sulfonate type are advantageously C₉₋₁₃ alkylbenzene sulfonates, olefin sulfonates, i.e. mixtures of alkene- and hydroxyalkane sulfonates, and disulfonates, as are obtained, for example, by the sulfonation with gaseous sulfur trioxide of C₁₂₋₁₈ monoolefins having a terminal or internal double bond and subsequent alkaline or acidic hydrolysis of the sulfonation products.

Alk(en)yl sulfates. Preferred alk(en)yl sulfates are the alkali and especially the sodium salts of the sulfuric acid half-esters of the C₁₂-C₁₈ fatty alcohols, for example, from coconut butter alcohol, tallow alcohol, lauryl, myristyl, cetyl or stearyl alcohol or from C₈-C₂₀ oxo alcohols and those half-esters of secondary alcohols of these chain lengths. Alk(en)yl sulfates of the cited chain lengths that comprise a synthetic straight chain alkyl group manufactured petrochemically are also preferred. The C₁₂-C₁₆ alkyl sulfates and C₁₂-C₁₅ alkyl sulfates as well as C₁₄-C₁₅ alkyl sulfates and C₁₄-C₁₆ alkyl sulfates are particularly preferred on the grounds of laundry performance. The 2,3-alkyl sulfates, which can be obtained from Shell Oil Company under the trade name DAN™, are also suitable anionic surfactants.

Alk(en)yl ether sulfates. Sulfuric acid mono-esters derived from straight-chained or branched C₇-C₂₁ alcohols ethoxylated with 1 to 6 moles ethylene oxide are also suitable, such as 2-methyl-branched C₉-C₁₁ alcohols with an average of 3.5 mol ethylene oxide (EO) or C₁₂-C₁₈ fatty alcohols with 1 to 4 EO.

Ester sulfonates. The esters of alpha-sulfo fatty acids (ester sulfonates), e.g., the alpha-sulfonated methyl esters of hydrogenated coco-, palm nut- or tallow acids are likewise suitable.

Soaps. Soaps, in particular, can be considered as further anionic surfactants. Saturated fatty acid soaps are particularly suitable, such as the salts of lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, hydrogenated erucic acid and behenic acid, and especially soap mixtures derived from natural fatty acids such as coconut oil fatty acid, palm kernel oil fatty acid or tallow fatty acid. Those soap mixtures are particularly preferred that are composed of 50 to 100 wt. % of saturated C₁₂-C₂₄ fatty acid soaps and 0 to 50 wt. % of oleic acid soap.

Ether carboxylic acids. A further class of anionic surfactants is that of the ether carboxylic acids, obtainable by treating fatty alcohol ethoxylates with sodium chloroacetate in the presence of basic catalysts. They have the general formula: RO(CH₂CH₂O)_(p)CH₂COOH with R=C₁-C₁₈ and p=0.1 to 20. Ether carboxylic acids are insensitive to water hardness and possess excellent surfactant properties.

Non-Ionic (Co-)Surfactants

Alkohol alkoxylates. The added nonionic surfactants are preferably alkoxylated and/or propoxylated, particularly primary alcohols having preferably 8 to 18 carbon atoms and an average of 1 to 12 mol ethylene oxide (EO) and/or 1 to 10 mol propylene oxide (PO) per mol alcohol. C₈-C₁₆-Alcohol alkoxylates, advantageously ethoxylated and/or propoxylated C₁₀-C₁₅-alcohol alkoxylates, particularly C₁₂-C₁₄ alcohol alkoxylates, with an ethoxylation degree between 2 and 10, preferably between 3 and 8, and/or a propoxylation degree between 1 and 6, preferably between 1.5 and 5, are particularly preferred. The cited degrees of ethoxylation and propoxylation constitute statistical average values that can be a whole or a fractional number for a specific product. Preferred alcohol ethoxylates and propoxylates have a narrowed homolog distribution (narrow range ethoxy-lates/propoxylates, NRE/NRP). In addition to these nonionic surfactants, fatty alcohols with more than 12 EQ can also be used. Examples of these are (tallow) fatty alcohols with 14 EO, 16 EO, 20 EO, 25 EO, 30 EQ or 40 EO.

Alkylglycosides (APG®). Furthermore, as additional nonionic surfactants, alkyl glycosides that satisfy the general Formula RO(G)_(x), can be added, e.g., as compounds, particularly with anionic surfactants, in which R means a primary linear or methyl-branched, particularly 2-methyl-branched, aliphatic group containing 8 to 22, preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms and G stands for a glycose unit containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably for glucose. The degree of oligomerization x, which defines the distribution of monoglycosides and oligoglycosides, is any number between 1 and 10, preferably between 1.1 and 1.4.

Fatty acid ester alkoxylates. Another class of preferred nonionic surfactants, which are used either as the sole nonionic surfactant or in combination with other nonionic surfactants, in particular, together with alkoxylated fatty alcohols and/or alkyl glycosides, are alkoxylated, preferably ethoxylated or ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acid alkyl esters preferably containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, more particularly the fatty acid methyl esters which are described, for example, in Japanese Patent Application JP-A-58/217598 or which are preferably produced by the process described in International Patent Application WO-A-90/13533. Methyl esters of C₁₂-C₁₈ fatty acids containing an average of 3 to 15 EO, particularly containing an average of 5 to 12 EO, are particularly preferred.

Amine oxides. Nonionic surfactants of the amine oxide type, for example, N-coco alkyl-N,N-dimethylamine oxide and N-tallow alkyl-N,N-dihydroxyethylamine oxide, and the fatty acid alkanolamides may also be suitable. The quantity in which these nonionic surfactants are used is preferably no more than the quantity in which the ethoxylated fatty alcohols are used and, particularly no more than half that quantity.

Gemini surfactants. The so-called gemini surfactants can be considered as further surfactants. Generally speaking, such compounds are understood to mean compounds that have two hydrophilic groups and two hydrophobic groups per molecule. As a rule, these groups are separated from one another by a “spacer”. The spacer is usually a hydrocarbon chain that is intended to be long enough such that the hydrophilic groups are a sufficient distance apart to be able to act independently of one another. These types of surfactants are generally characterized by an unusually low critical micelle concentration and the ability to strongly reduce the surface tension of water. In exceptional cases, however, not only dimeric but also trimeric surfactants are meant by the term gemini surfactants. Suitable gemini surfactants are, for example, sulfated hydroxy mixed ethers according to German Patent Application DE 4321022 A1 or dimer alcohol bis- and trimer alcohol tris sulfates and ether sulfates according to International Patent Application WO 96/23768 A1. Blocked end group dimeric and trimeric mixed ethers according to German Patent Application DE 19513391 A1 are especially characterized by their bifunctionality and multifunctionality. Gemini polyhydroxyfatty acid amides or polyhydroxyfatty acid amides, such as those described in International Patent Applications WO 95/19953 A1, WO 95/19954 A1 and WO 95/19955 A1 can also be used.

Cationic Co-Surfactants

Tetraalkyl ammonium salts. Cationically active surfactants comprise the hydrophobic high molecular group required for the surface activity in the cation by dissociation in aqueous solution. A group of important representatives of the cationic surfactants are the tetraalkyl ammonium salts of the general formula: (R¹R²R³R⁴N⁺) X⁻. Here R1 stands for C₁-C₈ alk(en)yl, R², R³ and R⁴, independently of each other, for alk(en)yl radicals having 1 to 22 carbon atoms. X is a counter ion, preferably selected from the group of the halides, alkyl sulfates and alkyl carbonates. Cationic surfactants, in which the nitrogen group is substituted with two long acyl groups and two short alk(en)yl groups, are particularly preferred.

Esterquats. A further class of cationic surfactants particularly useful as co-surfactants for the present invention is represented by the so-called esterquats. Esterquats are generally understood to be quaternised fatty acid triethanolamine ester salts. These are known compounds which can be obtained by the relevant methods of preparative organic chemistry. Reference is made in this connection to International patent application WO 91/01295 A1, according to which triethanolamine is partly esterified with fatty acids in the presence of hypophosphorous acid, air is passed through the reaction mixture and the whole is then quaternised with dimethyl sulphate or ethylene oxide. In addition, German patent DE 4308794 C1 describes a process for the production of solid esterquats in which the quaternisation of triethanolamine esters is carried out in the presence of suitable dispersants, preferably fatty alcohols.

Typical examples of esterquats suitable for use in accordance with the invention are products of which the acyl component derives from monocarboxylic acids corresponding to formula RCOOH in which RCO is an acyl group containing 6 to 10 carbon atoms, and the amine component is triethanolamine (TEA). Examples of such monocarboxylic acids are caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid and technical mixtures thereof such as, for example, so-called head-fractionated fatty acid. Esterquats of which the acyl component derives from monocarboxylic acids containing 8 to 10 carbon atoms, are preferably used. Other esterquats are those of which the acyl component derives from dicarboxylic acids like malonic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, glutaric acid, sorbic acid, pimelic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid and/or dodecanedioic acid, but preferably adipic acid. Overall, esterquats of which the acyl component derives from mixtures of monocarboxylic acids containing 6 to 22 carbon atoms, and adipic acid are preferably used. The molar ratio of mono and dicarboxylic acids in the final esterquat may be in the range from 1:99 to 99:1 and is preferably in the range from 50:50 to 90:10 and more particularly in the range from 70:30 to 80:20. Besides the quaternised fatty acid triethanolamine ester salts, other suitable esterquats are quaternized ester salts of mono-/dicarboxylic acid mixtures with diethanolalkyamines or 1,2-dihydroxypropyl dialkylamines. The esterquats may be obtained both from fatty acids and from the corresponding triglycerides in admixture with the corresponding dicarboxylic acids. One such process, which is intended to be representative of the relevant prior art, is proposed in European patent EP 0750606 B1. To produce the quaternised esters, the mixtures of mono- and dicarboxylic acids and the triethanolamine-based on the available carboxyl functions—may be used in a molar ratio of 1.1:1 to 3:1. With the performance properties of the esterquats in mind, a ratio of 1.2:1 to 2.2:1 and preferably 1.5:1 to 1.9:1 has proved to be particularly advantageous. The preferred esterquats are technical mixtures of mono-, di- and triesters with an average degree of esterification of 1.5 to 1.9.

Amphoteric or Zwitterionic Co-Surfactants

Betaines. Amphoteric or ampholytic surfactants possess a plurality of functional groups that can ionize in aqueous solution and thereby—depending on the conditions of the medium—lend anionic or cationic character to the compounds (see DIN 53900, July 1972). Close to the isoelectric point (around pH 4), the amphoteric surfactants form inner salts, thus becoming poorly soluble or insoluble in water. Amphoteric surfactants are subdivided into ampholytes and betaines, the latter existing as zwitterions in solution. Ampholytes are amphoteric electrolytes, i.e. compounds that possess both acidic as well as basic hydrophilic groups and therefore behave as acids or as bases depending on the conditions. Especially betaines are known surfactants which are mainly produced by carboxyalkylation, preferably carboxymethylation, of amine compounds. The starting materials are preferably condensed with halocarboxylic acids or salts thereof, more particularly sodium chloroacetate, one mole of salt being formed per mole of betaine. The addition of unsaturated carboxylic acids, such as acrylic acid for example, is also possible. Examples of suitable betaines are the carboxy alkylation products of secondary and, in particular, tertiary amines which correspond to formula R¹R²R³N—(CH₂)_(q)COOX where R¹ is a an alkyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, R² is hydrogen or an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R³ is an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms, q is a number of 1 to 6 and X is an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal or ammonium. Typical examples are the carboxymethylation products of hexylmethylamine, hexyldimethylamine, octyldimethylamine, decyldimethylamine, C_(12/14)-cocoalkyldimethyl-amine, myristyldimethylamine, cetyldimethylamine, stearyldimethylamine, stearylethyl-methylamine, oleyldimethylamine, C_(16/18)-tallowalkyldimethylamine and their technical mixtures, and particularly dodecyl methylamine, dodecyl dimethylamine, dodecyl ethylmethylamine and technical mixtures thereof.

Alkylamido betaines. Other suitable betaines are the carboxyalkylation products of amidoamines corresponding to formula R¹CO(R³)(R⁴)—NH—(CH₂)_(p)—N—(CH₂)_(q)COOX in which R¹CO is an aliphatic acyl radical having 6 to 22 carbon atoms and 0 or 1 to 3 double bonds, R² is hydrogen or an alkyl radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R³ is an alkyl radical having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, p is a number from 1 to 6, q is a number from 1 to 3 and X is an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal or ammonium. Typical examples are reaction products of fatty acids having 6 to 22 carbon atoms, like for example caproic acid, caprylic acid, caprinic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, palmoleic acid, stearic acid, isostearic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, petroselinic acid, linolic acid linoleic acid, elaeostearic acid, arachidonic acid, gadoleic acid, behenic acid, erucic acid and their technical mixtures with N,N-dimethylami-noethylamine, N,N-dimethylaminopropylamine, N,N-diethylaminoethylamine und N,N-diethylaminopropylamine, which are condensed with sodium chloroacetate. The commercially available products include Dehyton® K and Dehyton® PK (Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co., KG) as well as Tego Betaine (Goldschmidt).

Imidazolines. Other suitable starting materials for the betaines to be used for the purposes of the invention are imidazolines. These substances are also known and may be obtained, for example, by cyclizing condensation of 1 or 2 moles of C6-C₂₂ fatty acids with polyfunctional amines, such as for example aminoethyl ethanolamine (AEEA) or diethylenetriamine. The corresponding carboxyalkylation products are mixtures of different open-chain betaines. Typical examples are condensation products of the above-mentioned fatty acids with AEEA, preferably imidazolines based on lauric acid, which are subsequently betainised with sodium chloroacetate. The commercially available products include Dehyton® G (Cognis Deutschland GmbH & Co., KG)

The amount of (co-)surfactant comprised in the inventive compositions is advantageously 0.1 wt. % to 90 wt. %, particularly 10 wt. % to 80 wt. % and particularly preferably 20 wt. % to 70 wt.-%.

Organic Solvents

Liquid light or heavy duty detergents may comprise organic solvents, preferably those miscible with water. Polydiols, ethers, alcohols, ketones, amides and/or esters are preferably used as the organic solvent for this in amounts of 0 to 90 wt. %, preferably 0.1 to 70 wt. %, particularly 0.1 to 60 wt. %. Low molecular weight polar substances, such as for example, methanol, ethanol, propylene carbonate, acetone, acetonylacetone, diacetone alcohol, ethyl acetate, 2-propanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether and dimethylformamide or their mixtures are preferred.

Enzymes

Cellulase Enzymes. Cellulase enzymes optionally used in the instant detergent composition are preferably incorporated, when present, at levels sufficient to provide up to about 5 mg by weight, more preferably about 0.01 mg to about 3 mg, of active enzyme per gram of the composition. Unless stated otherwise, the compositions herein preferably comprise from about 0.001% to about 5%, preferably 0.01%-1% by weight of a commercial enzyme preparation.

The cellulases suitable for the present invention include either bacterial or fungal cellulase. Preferably, they will have a pH optimum of between 5 and 9.5. Suitable cellulases are fungal cellulase produced from Humicola insolens and Humicola strain DSM1800 or a cellulase 212-producing fungus belonging to the genus Aeromonas, and cellulase extracted from the hepatopancreas of a marine mollusk (Dolabella auricula solander), suitable cellulases are also disclosed in GB 2,075,028 A. In addition, cellulase especially suitable for use herein are disclosed in WO 1992 013057 A1. Most preferably, the cellulases used in the instant detergent compositions are purchased commercially from NOVO Industries A/S under the product names CAREZYMEO and CELLUZYMEO.

Other Enzymes. Additional enzymes can be included in the detergent compositions herein for a wide variety of fabric laundering purposes, including removal of protein-based, carbohydrate-based, or triglyceride-based stains, for example, and for the prevention of refugee dye transfer, and for fabric restoration. The additional enzymes to be incorporated include proteases, amylases, lipases, and peroxidases, as well as mixtures thereof. Other types of enzymes can also be included. They can be of any suitable origin, such as vegetable, animal, bacterial, fungal and yeast origin. However, their choice is governed by several factors such as pH-activity and/or stability optima, thermostability, stability versus active detergents, builders as well as their potential to cause malodors during use. In this respect bacterial or fungal enzymes are preferred, such as bacterial amylases and proteases.

Enzymes are normally incorporated at levels sufficient to provide up to about 5 mg by weight, more typically about 0.01 mg to about 3 mg, of active enzyme per gram of the composition. Stated otherwise, the compositions herein will typically comprise from about 0.001% to about 5%, preferably 0.01%-1% by weight of a commercial enzyme preparation. Protease enzymes are usually present in such commercial preparations at levels sufficient to provide from 0.005 to 0.1 Anson units (AU) of activity per gram of composition.

Suitable examples of proteases are the subtilisins which are obtained from particular strains of B. subtilis and B. licheniforms. Another suitable protease is obtained from a strain of Bacillus, having maximum activity throughout the pH range of 8-12, developed and sold by Novo Industries A/S under the registered trade name ESPERASE®. The preparation of this enzyme and analogous enzymes is described in GB 1,243,784 of Novo. Proteolytic enzymes suitable for removing protein-based stains that are commercially available include those sold under the trade names ALCALASE® and SAVINASE® by Novo Industries A/S and MAXATASE® by International Bio-Synthetics, Inc. Other proteases include Protease A; Protease B and proteases made by Genencor International, Inc., according to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,204,015 and 5,244,791.

Amylases include, for example, alpha-amylases like RAPIDASE®, International Bio-Synthetics, Inc. and TERMAMYL®, Novo Industries.

Suitable lipase enzymes for detergent usage include those produced by microorganisms of the Pseudomonas group, such as Pseudomonas stutzeri ATCC 19154. This lipase is available from Amano Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., under the trade name Lipase P “Amano”. Other commercial lipases include Amano-CES, lipases ex Chromobacter viscosum, e.g. Chromobacter viscosum var. lipolyticum NRRLB 3673, commercially available from Toyo Jozo Co., and further Chromobacter viscosum lipases from U.S. Biochemical Corp. and Disoynth Co., and lipases ex Pseudomonas gladioli. The LIPOLASE® enzyme derived from Humicola lanuginosa (commercially available from Novo Industries A/S) is a preferred lipase for use herein.

Peroxidase enzymes are used in combination with oxygen sources, e.g., percarbonate, perborate, persulfate, hydrogen peroxide, etc. They are used for “solution bleaching,” i.e. to prevent transfer of dyes or pigments removed from substrates during wash operations to other substrates in the wash solution. Peroxidase enzymes are known in the art, and include, for example, horseradish peroxidase, ligninase, and haloperoxidase such as chloro- and bromo-peroxidase. Peroxidase-containing detergent compositions are disclosed, for example, in WO 1989 099813 A1.

Enzyme Stabilizers. The enzymes employed herein are stabilized by the presence of water-soluble sources of calcium and/or magnesium ions in the finished detergent compositions which provide such ions to the enzymes. (Calcium ions are generally somewhat more effective than magnesium ions and are preferred herein if only one type of cation is being used.) Additional stability can be provided by the presence of various other art-disclosed stabilizers, especially borate species, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,537,706, incorporated herein in its entirety. Typical detergents, especially liquids, will comprise from about 1 to about 30, preferably from about 2 to about 20, more preferably from about 5 to about 15, and most preferably from about 8 to about 12, millimoles of calcium ion per liter of finished composition. In solid detergent compositions the formulation can include a sufficient quantity of a water-soluble calcium ion source to provide such amounts in the laundry liquor. In the alternative, natural water hardness can suffice.

It is to be understood that the foregoing levels of calcium and/or magnesium ions are sufficient to provide enzyme stability. More calcium and/or magnesium ions can be added to the compositions to provide an additional measure of grease removal performance. Accordingly, as a general proposition the compositions herein will typically comprise from about 0.05% to about 2% by weight of a water-soluble source of calcium or magnesium ions, or both. The amount can vary, of course, with the amount and type of enzyme employed in the composition.

The compositions herein can also optionally, but preferably, contain various additional stabilizers, especially borate-type stabilizers. Typically, such stabilizers will be used at levels in the compositions from about 0.25% to about 10%, preferably from about 0.5% to about 5%, more preferably from about 0.75% to about 3%, by weight of boric acid or other borate compound capable of forming boric acid in the composition (calculated on the basis of boric acid). Boric acid is preferred, although other compounds such as boric oxide, borax and other alkali metal borates (e.g., sodium ortho-, meta- and pyroborate, and sodium pentaborate) are suitable. Substituted boric acids (e.g., phenylboronic acid, butane boronic acid, and p-bromo phenylboronic acid) can also be used in place of boric acid.

Builders

Zeolites. Fine crystalline, synthetic zeolites containing bound water can be used as builders, for example, preferably zeolite A and/or P. Zeolite MAP® (commercial product of the Crosfield company), is particularly preferred as the zeolite P. However, zeolite X and mixtures of A, X, Y and/or P are also suitable. A co-crystallized sodium/potassium aluminum silicate from Zeolite A and Zeolite X, which is available as Vegobond® RX. (commercial product from Condea Augusta S.p.A.), is also of particular interest. Preferably, the zeolite can be used as a spray-dried powder. For the case where the zeolite is added as a suspension, this can comprise small amounts of nonionic surfactants as stabilizers, for example, 1 to 3 wt. %, based on the zeolite, of ethoxylated C₁₂-C₁₈ fatty alcohols with 2 to 5 ethylene oxide groups, C₁₂-C₁₄ fatty alcohols with 4 to 5 ethylene oxide groups or ethoxylated isotridecanols. Suitable zeolites have an average particle size of less than 101 μm (test method: volumetric distribution Coulter counter) and preferably comprise 18 to 22 wt. %, particularly 20 to 22 wt. % of bound water. Apart from this, phosphates can also be used as builders.

Layered silicates. Suitable substitutes or partial substitutes for phosphates and zeolites are crystalline, layered sodium silicates. These types of crystalline layered silicates are described, for example, in European Patent Application EP 0164514 A1. Preferred crystalline layered silicates are those obtained for example, from the process described in International Patent Application WO 91/08171 A1.

Amorphous silicates. Preferred builders also include amorphous sodium silicates with a modulus (Na₂O:SiO₂ ratio) of 1:2 to 1:3.3, preferably 1:2 to 1:2.8 and more preferably 1:2 to 1:2.6, which dissolve with a delay and exhibit multiple wash cycle properties. The delay in dissolution compared with conventional amorphous sodium silicates can have been obtained in various ways, for example, by surface treatment, compounding, compressing/compacting or by over-drying. In the context of this invention, the term “amorphous” also means “X-ray amorphous”. In other words, the silicates do not produce any of the sharp X-ray reflexions typical of crystalline substances in X-ray diffraction experiments, but at best one or more maxima of the scattered X-radiation, which have a width of several degrees of the diffraction angle. However, particularly good builder properties may even be achieved where the silicate particles produce indistinct or even sharp diffraction maxima in electron diffraction experiments. This is to be interpreted to mean that the products have microcrystalline regions between 10 and a few hundred nm in size, values of up to at most 50 nm and especially up to at most 20 nm being preferred. This type of X-ray amorphous silicates, which similarly possess a delayed dissolution in comparison with the customary water glasses, are described, for example, in German Patent Application DE 4400024 A1. Compacted/densified amorphous silicates, compounded amorphous silicates and over dried X-ray-amorphous silicates are particularly preferred.

Phosphates. Also the generally known phosphates can also be added as builders, in so far that their use should not be avoided on ecological grounds. The sodium salts of the orthophosphates, the pyrophosphates and especially the tripolyphosphates are particularly suitable. Their content is generally not more than 25 wt. %, preferably not more than 20 wt. %, each based on the finished composition. In some cases it has been shown that particularly tripolyphosphates, already in low amounts up to maximum 10 wt. %, based on the finished composition, in combination with other builders, lead to a synergistic improvement of the secondary washing power. Preferred amounts of phosphates are under 10 wt. %, particularly 0 wt. %.

Co-Builders

Polycarboxylic acids. Useful organic cobuilders are, for example, the polycarboxylic acids usable in the form of their sodium salts of polycarboxylic acids, wherein polycarboxylic acids are understood to be carboxylic acids that carry more than one acid function. These include, for example, citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, sugar acids, aminocarboxylic acids, nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) and its derivatives and mixtures thereof. Preferred salts are the salts of polycarboxylic acids such as citric acid, adipic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, tartaric acid, sugar acids and mixtures thereof.

Organic acids. Acids per se can also be used. Besides their building effect, the acids also typically have the property of an acidifying component and, hence also serve to establish a relatively low and mild pH in detergents or cleansing compositions. Citric acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, gluconic acid and any mixtures thereof are particularly mentioned in this regard. Further suitable acidifiers are the known pH regulators such as sodium hydrogen carbonate and sodium hydrogen sulfate.

Polymers. Particularly suitable polymeric cobuilders are polyacrylates, which preferably have a molecular weight of 2,000 to 20,000 g/mol. By virtue of their superior solubility, preferred representatives of this group are again the short-chain polyacrylates, which have molecular weights of 2,000 to 10,000 g/mol and, more particularly, 3,000 to 5,000 g/mol. Suitable polymers can also include substances that consist partially or totally of vinyl alcohol units or its derivatives.

Further suitable copolymeric polycarboxylates are particularly those of acrylic acid with methacrylic acid and of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with maleic acid. Copolymers of acrylic acid with maleic acid, which comprise 50 to 90 wt. % acrylic acid and 50 to 10 wt. % maleic acid, have proven to be particularly suitable. Their relative molecular weight, based on free acids, generally ranges from 2,000 to 70,000 g/mol, preferably 20,000 to 50,000 g/mol and especially 30,000 to 40,000 g/mol. The (co)polymeric polycarboxylates can be added either as an aqueous solution or preferably as powder. In order to improve the water solubility, the polymers can also comprise allylsulfonic acids as monomers, such as, for example, allyloxybenzene sulfonic acid and methallyl sulfonic acid as in the EP 0727448 B1.

Biodegradable polymers comprising more than two different monomer units are particularly preferred, examples being those comprising, as monomers, salts of acrylic acid and of maleic acid, and also vinyl alcohol or vinyl alcohol derivatives, as in DE 4300772 A1, or those comprising, as monomers, salts of acrylic acid and of 2-alkylallyl sulfonic acid, and also sugar derivatives. Further preferred copolymers are those that are described in German Patent Applications DE 4303320 A1 and DE 4417734 A1 and preferably include acrolein and acrylic acid/acrylic acid salts or acrolein and vinyl acetate as monomers.

Similarly, other preferred builders are polymeric aminodicarboxylic acids, salts or precursors thereof. Those polyaspartic acids or their salts and derivatives disclosed in German Patent Application DE 19540086 A1 as having a bleach-stabilizing action in addition to cobuilder properties are particularly preferred.

Further suitable builders are polyacetals that can be obtained by treating dialdehydes with polyol carboxylic acids that possess 5 to 7 carbon atoms and at least 3 hydroxyl groups, as described in European Patent Application EP 0280223 A1. Preferred polyacetals are obtained from dialdehydes like glyoxal, glutaraldehyde, terephthalaldehyde as well as their mixtures and from polycarboxylic acids like gluconic acid and/or glucoheptonic acid.

Carbohydrates. Further suitable organic cobuilders are dextrins, for example, oligomers or polymers of carbohydrates that can be obtained by the partial hydrolysis of starches. The hydrolysis can be carried out using typical processes, for example, acidic or enzymatic catalyzed processes. The hydrolysis products preferably have average molecular weights in the range of 400 to 500,000 g/mol. A polysaccharide with a dextrose equivalent (DE) of 0.5 to 40 and, more particularly, 2 to 30 is preferred, the DE being an accepted measure of the reducing effect of a polysaccharide in comparison with dextrose, which has a DE of 100. Both maltodextrins with a DE between 3 and 20 and dry glucose syrups with a DE between 20 and 37 and also so-called yellow dextrins and white dextrins with relatively high molecular weights of 2,000 to 30,000 g/mol may be used. A preferred dextrin is described in British Patent Application 94 19 091.

The oxidized derivatives of such dextrins concern their reaction products with oxidizing compositions that are capable of oxidizing at least one alcohol function of the saccharide ring to the carboxylic acid function. Such oxidized dextrins and processes for their manufacture are known for example, from European Patent Applications EP 0232202 A1. A product oxidized at C6 of the saccharide ring can be particularly advantageous.

Oxydisuccinates and other derivatives of disuccinates, preferably ethylenediamine disuccinate are also further suitable cobuilders. Here, ethylene diamine-N,N′-disuccinate (EDDS), the synthesis of which is described for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,158,615, is preferably used in the form of its sodium or magnesium salts. In this context, glycerine disuccinates and glycerine trisuccinates are also particularly preferred, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,009. Suitable addition quantities in zeolite-containing and/or silicate-containing formulations range from 3 to 15% by weight.

(Lactones. Other useful organic co-builders are, for example, acetylated hydroxycarboxylic acids and salts thereof which optionally may also be present in lactone form and which contain at least 4 carbon atoms, at least one hydroxyl group and at most two acid groups. Such cobuilders are described, for example, in International Patent Application WO 1995 020029 A1.

Bleaching Compounds, Bleaching Agents and Bleach Activators

The detergent compositions herein can optionally contain bleaching agents or bleaching compositions containing a bleaching agent and one or more bleach activators. When present, bleaching agents will typically be at levels of from about 1% to about 30%, more typically from about 5% to about 20%, of the detergent composition, especially for fabric laundering. If present, the amount of bleach activators will typically be from about 0.1% to about 60%, more typically from about 0.5% to about 40% of the bleaching composition comprising the bleaching agent-plus-bleach activator.

The bleaching agents used herein can be any of the bleaching agents useful for detergent compositions in textile cleaning, hard surface cleaning, or other cleaning purposes that are now known or become known. These include oxygen bleaches as well as other bleaching agents. Perborate bleaches, e.g., sodium perborate (e.g., mono- or tetra-hydrate) can be used herein.

Another category of bleaching agent that can be used without restriction encompasses percarboxylic acid bleaching agents and salts thereof. Suitable examples of this class of agents include magnesium monoperoxyphthalate hexahydrate, the magnesium salt of meta-chloro perbenzoic acid, 4-nonylamino-4-oxoperoxybutyric acid and diperoxydodecanedioic acid.

Peroxygen bleaching agents can also be used. Suitable peroxygen bleaching compounds include sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate and equivalent “percarbonate” bleaches, sodium pyrophosphate peroxyhydrate, urea peroxyhydrate, and sodium peroxide. Persulfate bleach (e.g., OXONEO®, manufactured commercially by DuPont) can also be used.

A preferred percarbonate bleach comprises dry particles having an average particle size in the range from about 500 micrometers to about 1,000 micrometers, not more than about 10% by weight of said particles being smaller than about 200 micrometers and not more than about 10% by weight of said particles being larger than about 1,250 micrometers. Optionally, the percarbonate can be coated with silicate, borate or water-soluble surfactants. Percarbonate is available from various commercial sources.

Mixtures of bleaching agents can also be used.

Peroxygen bleaching agents, the perborates, the percarbonates, etc., are preferably combined with bleach activators, which lead to the in situ production in aqueous solution (i.e., during the washing process) of the peroxy acid corresponding to the bleach activator.

The nonanoyloxybenzene sulfonate (NOBS) and tetraacetyl ethylene diamine (TAED) activators are typical, and mixtures thereof can also be used.

Preferred amido-derived bleach activators include (6-octanamido-caproyl)oxyben-zene-sulfonate, (6-nonanamidocaproyl)oxybenzenesulfonate, (6-decanamido-caproyl)-oxybenzenesulfonate, and mixtures thereof.

Another class of bleach activators comprises the benzoxazin-type activators disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,723, incorporated herein by reference.

Highly preferred lactam activators include benzoyl caprolactam, octanoyl caprolactam, 3,5,5-trimethylhexanoyl caprolactam, nonanoyl caprolactam, decanoyl caprolactam, undecenoyl caprolactam, benzoyl valerolactam, octanoyl valerolactam, decanoyl valerolactam, undecenoyl valerolactam, nonanoyl valerolactam, 3,5,5-trimethylhexanoyl valerolactam and mixtures thereof, optionally adsorbed into solid carriers, e.g acyl caprolactams, preferably benzoyl caprolactam, adsorbed into sodium perborate.

Bleaching agents other than oxygen bleaching agents are also known in the art and can be utilized herein. One type of non-oxygen bleaching agent of particular interest includes photoactivated bleaching agents such as the sulfonated zinc and/or aluminum phthalocyanines. If used, detergent compositions will typically contain from about 0.025% to about 1.25%, by weight, of such bleaches, especially sulfonate zinc phthalocyanine.

If desired, the bleaching compounds can be catalyzed by means of a manganese compound. Such manganese-based catalysts are well known in the art and include Mn^(IV) ₂ (u-O)₃ (1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)₂ (PF₆)₂, Mn^(III) ₂ (u-O)₁ (u-OAc)₂ (1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)₂(ClO₄)₂, Mn^(IV) ₄ (u-O)₆ (1,4,7-triazacyclononane)₄ (ClO₄)₄, Mn^(III)Mn^(IV) ₄ (u-O)₁ (u-OAc)₂ (1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)₂ (ClO₄)₃, Mn^(IV) (1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)-(OCH₃)₃(PF₆), and mixtures thereof.

As a practical matter, and not by way of limitation, the compositions and processes herein can be adjusted to provide on the order of at least one part per ten million of the active bleach catalyst species in the aqueous washing liquor, and will preferably provide from about 0.1 ppm to about 700 ppm, more preferably from about 1 ppm to about 500 ppm, of the catalyst species in the laundry liquor.

Polymeric Soil Release Agents

Any polymeric soil release agent known to those skilled in the art can optionally be employed in the detergent compositions and processes of this invention. Polymeric soil release agents are characterized by having both hydrophilic segments, to hydrophilize the surface of hydrophobic fibers, such as polyester and nylon, and hydrophobic segments, to deposit upon hydrophobic fibers and remain adhered thereto through completion of washing and rinsing cycles and, thus, serve as an anchor for the hydrophilic segments. This can enable stains occurring subsequent to treatment with the soil release agent to be more easily cleaned in later washing procedures.

The polymeric soil release agents useful herein especially include those soil release agents having: (a) one or more nonionic hydrophile components consisting essentially of (i) polyoxyethylene segments with a degree of polymerization of at least 2, or (ii) oxypropylene or polyoxypropylene segments with a degree of polymerization of from 2 to 10, wherein said hydrophile segment does not encompass any oxypropylene unit unless it is bonded to adjacent moieties at each end by ether linkages, or (iii) a mixture of oxyalkylene units comprising oxyethylene and from 1 to about 30 oxypropylene units wherein said mixture contains a sufficient amount of oxyethylene units such that the hydrophile component has hydrophilicity great enough to increase the hydrophilicity of conventional polyester synthetic fiber surfaces upon deposit of the soil release agent on such surface, said hydrophile segments preferably comprising at least about 25% oxyethylene units and more preferably, especially for such components having about 20 to 30 oxypropylene units, at least about 50% oxyethylene units; or (b) one or more hydrophobe components comprising (i) C₃ oxyalkylene terephthalate segments, wherein, if said hydrophobe components also comprise oxyethylene terephthalate, the ratio of oxyethylene terephthalate:C₃ oxyalkylene terephthalate units is about 2:1 or lower, (ii) C₄-C₆ alkylene or oxy C₄-C₆ alkylene segments, or mixtures therein, (iii) poly (vinyl ester) segments, preferably polyvinyl acetate), having a degree of polymerization of at least 2, or (iv) C₁-C₄ alkyl ether or C₄ hydroxyalkyl ether substituents, or mixtures therein, wherein said substituents are present in the form of C₁-C₄ alkyl ether or C₄ hydroxyalkyl ether cellulose derivatives, or mixtures therein, and such cellulose derivatives are amphiphilic, whereby they have a sufficient level of C₁-C₄ alkyl ether and/or C₄ hydroxyalkyl ether units to deposit upon conventional polyester synthetic fiber surfaces and retain a sufficient level of hydroxyls, once adhered to such conventional synthetic fiber surface, to increase fiber surface hydrophilicity, or a combination of (a) and (b).

Typically, the polyoxyethylene segments of (a) (i) will have a degree of polymerization of from about 200, although higher levels can be used, preferably from 3 to about 150, more preferably from 6 to about 100. Suitable oxy C₄-C₆ alkylene hydrophobe segments include, but are not limited to, end-caps of polymeric soil release agents.

Polymeric soil release agents useful in the present invention also include cellulosic derivatives such as hydroxyether cellulosic polymers, copolymeric blocks of ethylene terephthalate or propylene terephthalate with polyethylene oxide or polypropylene oxide terephthalate, and the like. Such agents are commercially available and include hydroxyethers of cellulose such as METHOCEL® (Dow). Cellulosic soil release agents for use herein also include those selected from the group consisting of C₁-C₄ alkyl and C₄ hydroxyalkyl cellulose.

Soil release agents characterized by poly(vinyl ester) hydrophobe segments include graft copolymers of poly(vinyl ester), e.g., C₁-C₆ vinyl esters, preferably poly(vinyl acetate) grafted onto polyalkylene oxide backbones, such as polyethylene oxide backbones, see EP 0 219 048, incorporated herein in its entirety. Commercially available soil release agents of this kind include the SOKALAN® type of material, e.g., SOKALAN® HP-22, available from BASF.

One type of preferred soil release agent is a copolymer having random blocks of ethylene terephthalate and polyethylene oxide (PEO) terephthalate. The molecular weight of this polymeric soil release agent preferably is in the range of from about 25,000 to about 55,000.

Another preferred polymeric soil release agent is a polyester with repeat units of ethylene terephthalate units contains 10-15% by weight of ethylene terephthalate units together with 90-80% by weight of polyoxyethylene terephthalate units, derived from a polyoxyethylene glycol of average molecular weight 300-5,000. Examples of this polymer include the commercially available material ZELCON® 5126 (from DuPont) and MILEASE® T (from ICI).

Another preferred polymeric soil release agent is a sulfonated product of a substantially linear ester oligomer comprised of an oligomeric ester backbone of terephthaloyl and oxyalkyleneoxy repeat units and terminal moieties covalently attached to the backbone. These soil release agents are described fully in U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,451. Other suitable polymeric soil release agents include the terephthalate polyesters of U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,730, the anionic end-capped oligomeric esters of U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,580, the block polyester oligomeric compounds of U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,857, and anionic, especially sulfoaroyl, end-capped terephthalate esters of U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,896 all cited patents incorporated herein in their entirety.

Still another preferred soil release agent is an oligomer with repeat units of terephthaloyl units, sulfoisoterephthaloyl units, oxyethyleneoxy and oxy-1,2-propylene units. The repeat units form the backbone of the oligomer and are preferably terminated with modified isethionate end-caps. A particularly preferred soil release agent of this type comprises about one sulfoisophthaloyl unit, 5 terephthaloyl units, oxyethyleneoxy and oxy-1,2-propyleneoxy units in a ratio of from about 1.7 to about 1.8, and two end-cap units of sodium 2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-ethanesulfonate. Said soil release agent also comprises from about 0.5% to about 20%, by weight of the oligomer, of a crystalline-reducing stabilizer, preferably selected from the group consisting of xylene sulfonate, cumene sulfonate, toluene sulfonate, and mixtures thereof.

If utilized, soil release agents will generally comprise from about 0.01% to about 10.0%, by weight, of the detergent compositions herein, typically from about 0.1% to about 5%, preferably from about 0.2% to about 3.0%.

Polymeric Dispersing Agents

Polymeric dispersing agents can advantageously be utilized at levels from about 0.1% to about 7%, by weight, in the detergent compositions herein, especially in the presence of zeolite and/or layered silicate builders. Suitable polymeric dispersing agents include polymeric polycarboxylates and polyethylene glycols, although others known in the art can also be used. It is believed, though it is not intended to be limited by theory, that polymeric dispersing agents enhance overall detergent builder performance, when used in combination with other builders (including lower molecular weight polycarboxylates) by crystal growth inhibition, particulate soil release peptization, and anti-redeposition.

Polymeric polycarboxylate materials can be prepared by polymerizing or copolymerizing suitable unsaturated monomers, preferably in their acid form. Unsaturated monomeric acids that can be polymerized to form suitable polymeric polycarboxylates include acrylic acid, maleic acid (or maleic anhydride), fumaric acid, itaconic acid, aconitic acid, mesaconic acid, citraconic acid and methylenemalonic acid. The presence in the polymeric polycarboxylates herein or monomeric segments, containing no carboxylate radicals such as vinylmethyl ether, styrene, ethylene, etc. is suitable provided that such segments do not constitute more than about 40% by weight.

Particularly suitable polymeric polycarboxylates can be derived from acrylic acid. Such acrylic acid-based polymers which are useful herein are the water-soluble salts of polymerized acrylic acid. The average molecular weight of such polymers in the acid form preferably ranges from about 2,000 to 10,000, more preferably from about 4,000 to 7,000 and most preferably from about 4,000 to 5,000. Water-soluble salts of such acrylic acid polymers can include, for example, the alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium salts. Soluble polymers of this type are known materials. Use of polyacrylates of this type in detergent compositions has been disclosed, for example U.S. Pat. No. 3,308,067.

Acrylic/maleic-based copolymers can also be used as a preferred component of the dispersing/anti-redeposition agent. Such materials include the water-soluble salts of copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid. The average molecular weight of such copolymers in the acid form preferably ranges from about 2,000 to 100,000, more preferably from about 5,000 to 75,000, most preferably from about 7,000 to 65,000. The ratio of acrylate to maleate segments in such copolymers will generally range from about 30:1 to about 1:1, more preferably from about 10:1 to 2:1. Water-soluble salts of such acrylic acid/maleic acid copolymers can include, for example, the alkali metal, ammonium and substituted ammonium salts. Soluble acrylate/maleate copolymers of this type are known materials which are described in EP 0193360 A1, which also describes such polymers comprising hydroxypropylacrylate. Still other useful dispersing agents include the maleic/acrylic/vinyl alcohol terpolymers, for example, a 45/45/10 terpolymer of acrylic/maleic/vinyl alcohol.

Another polymeric material which can be included is polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG can exhibit dispersing agent performance as well as act as a clay soil removal-antiredeposition agent. Typical molecular weight ranges for these purposes range from about 500 to about 100,000, preferably from about 1,000 to about 50,000, more preferably from about 1,500 to about 10,000.

Polyaspartate and polyglutamate dispersing agents can also be used, especially in conjunction with zeolite builders. Dispersing agents such as polyaspartate preferably have a molecular weight (avg.) of about 10,000.

Foam Inhibitors/SUD Supressors

Especially when used in automatic washing processes, it can be advantageous to add conventional foam inhibitors to the compositions. Suitable foam inhibitors include for example, soaps of natural or synthetic origin, which have a high content of C₁₈-C₂₄ fatty acids. Suitable non-surface-active types of foam inhibitors are, for example, organo-polysiloxanes and mixtures thereof with microfine, optionally silanised silica and also paraffins, waxes, microcrystalline waxes and mixtures thereof with silanised silica or bis-stearyl ethylenediamide. Mixtures of various foam inhibitors, for example, mixtures of silicones, paraffins or waxes, are also used with advantage. Preferably, the foam inhibitors, especially silicone-containing and/or paraffin-containing foam inhibitors, are loaded onto a granular, water-soluble or dispersible carrier material. Especially in this case, mixtures of paraffins and bis-stearylethylene diamides are preferred.

Compounds for reducing or suppressing the formation of suds can be incorporated into the detergent compositions of the present invention. Suds suppression can be of particular importance in the so-called “high concentration cleaning process” and in front-loading European-style washing machines.

A wide variety of materials can be used as suds suppressors, and suds suppressors are well known to those skilled in the art. See, for example, Kirk Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Third Edition, Volume 7, pages 430-447 (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1979). One category of suds suppressor of particular interest encompasses monocarboxylic fatty acid and soluble salts therein. The monocarboxylic fatty acids and salts thereof used as suds suppressor typically have hydrocarbyl chains of 10 to about 24 carbon atoms, preferably 12 to 18 carbon atoms. Suitable salts include the alkali metal salts such as sodium, potassium, and lithium salts, and ammonium and alkanolammonium salts.

The detergent compositions herein can also contain non-surfactant suds suppressors. These include, for example: high molecular weight hydrocarbons such as paraffin, fatty acid esters (e.g., fatty acid triglycerides), fatty acid esters of monovalent alcohols, aliphatic C₁₈-C₄₀ ketones (e.g., stearone), etc. Other suds inhibitors include N-alkylated amino triazines such as tri- to hexa-alkylmelamines or di- to tetra-alkyldiamine chlortriazines formed as products of cyanuric chloride with two or three moles of a primary or secondary amine containing 1 to 24 carbon atoms, propylene oxide, and monostearyl phosphates such as monostearyl alcohol phosphate ester and monostearyl di-alkali metal (e.g., K, Na, and Li) phosphates and phosphate esters. The hydrocarbons such as paraffin and haloparaffin can be utilized in liquid form. The liquid hydrocarbons will be liquid at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, and will have a pour point in the range of about −40° C. and about 50° C., and a minimum boiling point not less than about 110° C. (atmospheric pressure). It is also known to utilize waxy hydrocarbons, preferably having a melting point below about 100° C. Hydrocarbon suds suppressors are known in the art and include aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic, and heterocyclic saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbons having from about 12 to about 70 carbon atoms. The term “paraffin,” as used in this suds suppressor discussion, is intended to include mixtures of true paraffins and cyclic hydrocarbons.

Another preferred category of non-surfactant suds suppressors comprises silicone suds suppressors. This category includes the use of polyorganosiloxane oils, such as polydimethylsiloxane, dispersions or emulsions of polyorganosiloxane oils or resins, and combinations of polyorganosiloxane with silica particles wherein the polyorganosiloxane is chemisorbed or fused onto the silica. Silicone suds suppressors are well known in the art.

Other silicone suds suppressors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,455,839, incorporated herein in its entirety, which relates to compositions and processes for defoaming aqueous solutions by incorporating therein small amounts of polydimethylsiloxane fluids.

Mixtures of silicone and silanated silica are described, for instance, in DE-OS 2124526, incorporated herein in its entirety. Silicone defoamers and suds controlling agents in granular detergent compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,652,392, incorporated herein in its entirety.

In the preferred silicone suds suppressor used herein, the solvent for a continuous phase is made up of certain polyethylene glycols or polyethylene-polypropylene glycol copolymers or mixtures thereof (preferred), or polypropylene glycol. The primary silicone suds suppressor is branched/crosslinked and preferably not linear.

The silicone suds suppressor herein preferably comprises polyethylene glycol and a copolymer of polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol, all having an average molecular weight of less than about 1,000, preferably between about 100 and 800. The polyethylene glycol and polyethylene/polypropylene copolymers herein have a solubility in water at room temperature of more than about 2 weight %, preferably more than about 5 weight %.

The preferred solvent herein is polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of less than about 1,000, more preferably between about 100 and 800, most preferably between 200 and 400, and a copolymer of polyethylene glycol/polypropylene glycol, preferably PPG 200/PEG 300. Preferred is a weight ratio of between about 1:1 and 1:10, most preferably between 1:3 and 1:6, of polyethylene glycol:copolymer of polyethylene-polypropylene glycol.

The preferred silicone suds suppressors used herein do not contain polypropylene glycol, particularly of 4,000 molecular weight. They also preferably do not contain block copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, like PLURONIC® L101.

Other suds suppressors useful herein comprise the secondary alcohols (e.g., 2-alkyl alkanols) and mixtures of such alcohols with silicone oils. The secondary alcohols include the C₆-C₁₆ alkyl alcohols having a C₁-C₁₆ chain. A preferred alcohol is 2-butyl octanol, which is available from Condea under the trademark ISOFOL® 12. Mixtures of secondary alcohols are available under the trademark ISALCHEM® 123 from Enichem. Mixed suds suppressors typically comprise mixtures of alcohol+silicone at a weight ratio of 1:5 to 5:1.

The compositions herein will generally comprise from 0% to about 5% of suds suppressor. When utilized as suds suppressors, monocarboxylic fatty acids, and salts therein, will be present typically in amounts up to about 5%, by weight, of the detergent composition. Preferably, from about 0.5% to about 3% of fatty monocarboxylate suds suppressor is utilized. Silicone suds suppressors are typically utilized in amounts up to about 2.0%, by weight, of the detergent composition, although higher amounts can be used. This upper limit is practical in nature, due primarily to concern with keeping costs minimized and effectiveness of lower amounts for effectively controlling sudsing. Preferably from about 0.01% to about 1% of silicone suds suppressor is used, more preferably from about 0.25% to about 0.5%. As used herein, these weight percentage values include any silica that can be utilized in combination with polyorganosiloxane, as well as any adjunct materials that can be utilized. Monostearyl phosphate suds suppressors are generally utilized in amounts ranging from about 0.1% to about 2%, by weight, of the composition. Hydrocarbon suds suppressors are typically utilized in amounts ranging from about 0.01% to about 5.0%, although higher levels can be used. The alcohol suds suppressors are typically used at 0.2%-3% by weight of the finished compositions.

Sequestrants and Chelating Agents

The salts of polyphosphonic acid can be considered as sequestrants or as stabilizers, particularly for peroxy compounds and enzymes, which are sensitive towards heavy metal ions. Here, the sodium salts of, for example, 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonate, diethylenetriamine pentamethylene phosphonate or ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonate are used in amounts of 0.1 to 5 wt. %.

The detergent compositions herein can also optionally contain one or more iron and/or manganese chelating agents. Such chelating agents can be selected from the group consisting of amino carboxylates, amino phosphonates, polyfunctionally-substituted aromatic chelating agents and mixtures therein, all as hereinafter defined. Without intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that the benefit of these materials is due in part to their exceptional ability to remove iron and manganese ions from washing solutions by formation of soluble chelates. It is understood that some of the detergent builders described hereinbefore can function as chelating agents and is such detergent builder is present in a sufficient quantity, it can provide both functions.

Amino carboxylates useful as optional chelating agents include ethylenediamine-tetracetates, N-hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetates, nitrilotriacetates, ethylenediamine tetraproprionates, triethylenetetraaminehexacetates, diethylenetriaminepentaacetates, and ethanoldiglycines, alkali metal, ammonium, and substituted ammonium salts therein and mixtures therein.

Amino phosphonates are also suitable for use as chelating agents in the compositions of the invention when at lease low levels of total phosphorus are permitted in detergent compositions, and include ethylenediaminetetrakis (methylenephosphonates) as DEQUEST. Preferred, these amino phosphonates to not contain alkyl or alkenyl groups with more than about 6 carbon atoms.

Polyfunctionally-substituted aromatic chelating agents are also useful in the compositions herein. Preferred compounds of this type in acid form are dihydroxydisulfobenzenes such as 1,2-dihydroxy-3,5-disulfobenzene.

A preferred biodegradable chelator for use herein is ethylenediamine disuccinate (“EDDS”), especially the [S,S] isomer.

If utilized, these chelating agents will generally comprise from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight of the detergent compositions herein. More preferably, if utilized, the chelating agents will comprise from about 0.1% to about 3.0% by weight of such compositions.

Clay Soil Removal/Anti-Redeposition Agents

The detergent compositions of the present invention can also optionally contain water-soluble ethoxylated amines having clay soil removal and antiredeposition properties.

Granular detergent compositions which contain these compounds typically contain from about 0.01% to about 10.0% by weight of the water-soluble ethoxylates amines; liquid detergent compositions typically contain about 0.01% to about 5%.

The most preferred soil release and anti-redeposition agent is ethoxylated tetraethylenepentamine. Exemplary ethoxylated amines are further described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,898. Other groups of preferred clay soil removal-antiredeposition agents are the cationic compounds disclosed in EP 0111965 A1, the ethoxylated amine polymers disclosed in EP 0111984 A1, the zwitterionic polymers disclosed in EP 0112592 A1, and the amine oxides disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,744. Another type of preferred antiredeposition agent includes the carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) materials. These materials are well known in the art.

Graying Inhibitors

Graying inhibitors have the function of maintaining the dirt that was removed from the fibers suspended in the washing liquor, thereby preventing the dirt from resettling. Water-soluble colloids of mostly organic nature are suitable for this, for example, the water-soluble salts of (co)polymeric carboxylic acids, glue, gelatins, salts of ether carboxylic acids or ether sulfonic acids of starches or celluloses, or salts of acidic sulfuric acid esters of celluloses or starches. Water-soluble, acid group-containing polyamides are also suitable for this purpose. Moreover, soluble starch preparations and others can be used as the above-mentioned starch products, e.g., degraded starches, aldehyde starches etc. Polyvinyl pyrrolidone can also be used. Preference, however, is given to the use of cellulose ethers such as carboxymethyl cellulose (Na salt), methyl cellulose, hydroxyalkyl celluloses and mixed ethers such as methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl hydroxypropyl cellulose, methyl carboxymethyl cellulose and mixtures thereof, as well as polyvinyl pyrrolidone, which can be added, for example, in amounts of 0.1 to 5 wt. %, based on the composition.

Optical Brighteners and UV Adsorbers

Any optical brighteners or other brightening or whitening agents known in the art can be incorporated at levels typically from about 0.05% to about 1.2%, by weight, into the detergent compositions herein. Commercial optical brighteners which can be useful in the present invention can be classified into subgroups, which include, but are not necessarily limited to, derivatives of stilbene, pyrazoline, coumarin, carboxylic acid, methinecyanines, dibenzothiphene-5,5-dioxide, azoles, 5- and 6-membered-ring heterocycles, and other miscellaneous agents.

Preferred brighteners include the PHORWHITE® series of brighteners from Verona. Other brighteners disclosed in this reference include: Tinopal® UNPA, Tinopal CBS and Tinopal 5BM; available from Ciba-Geigy; Artic White® CC and Artic White CWD, available from Hilton-Davis; the 2-(4-stryl-phenyl)-2H-napthol [1,2-d]triazoles; 4,4′-bis-(1,2,3-triazol-2-yl)-stilbenes; 4,4′-bis(stryl)bisphenyls; and the aminocoumarins. Specific examples of these brighteners include 4-methyl-7-diethyl-amino coumarin; 1,2-bis(-venzimidazol-2-yl)ethylene; 1,3-diphenyl-phrazolines; 2,5-bis(benzoxazol-2-yl)thiophene; 2-stryl-napth-[1,2-d] oxazole; and 2-(stilbene-4-yl)-2H-naphtho-[1,2-d]triazole. Anionic brighteners are preferred herein.

The compositions may comprise e.g., derivatives of diaminostilbene disulfonic acid or alkali metal salts thereof as the optical brighteners. Suitable optical brighteners are, for example, salts of 4,4′-bis-(2-anilino-4-morpholino-1,3,5-triazinyl-6-amino)stilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid or compounds of similar structure which contain a diethanolamino group, a methylamino group, an anilino group or a 2-methoxyethylamino group instead of the morpholino group. Brighteners of the substituted diphenylstyryl type may also be present, for example, the alkali metal salts of 4,4′-bis(2-sulfostyryl)diphenyl, 4,4′-bis(4-chloro-3-sulfostyryl)diphenyl or 4-(4-chlorostyryl)-4′-(2-sulfostyryl)diphenyl. Mixtures of the mentioned brighteners may also be used.

In addition, UV absorbers may also be added. These are compounds with distinct absorption abilities for ultra violet radiation, which contribute as UV stabilizers as well as to improve the light stability of colorants and pigments both for textile fibers as well as for the skin of the wearer of textile products by protecting against the UV radiation that penetrates the fabric. In general, the efficient radiationless deactivating compounds are derivatives of benzophenone, substituted with hydroxyl and/or alkoxy groups, mostly in position(s) 2 and/or 4. Also suitable are substituted benzotriazoles, additionally acrylates that are phenyl-substituted in position 3 (cinnamic acid derivatives), optionally with cyano groups in position 2, salicylates, organic Ni complexes, as well as natural substances such as umbelliferone and the endogenous urocanic acid. In a preferred embodiment, the UV absorbers absorb UV-A and UV-B radiation as well as possible UV-C radiation and re-emit light with blue wavelengths, such that they additionally have an optical brightening effect. Preferred UV absorbers encompass triazine derivatives, e.g., hydroxyaryl-1,3,5-triazine, sulfonated 1,3,5-triazine, o-hydroxyphenylbenzotriazole and 2-aryl-2H-benzotriazole as well as bis(anilinotriazinyl-amino)stilbene disulfonic acid and their derivatives. Ultra violet absorbing pigments like titanium dioxide can also be used as UV absorbers.

Dye Transfer Inhibiting Agents

The detergent compositions of the present invention can also include one or more materials effective for inhibiting the transfer of dyes from one fabric to another during the cleaning process. Generally, such dye transfer inhibiting agents include polyvinyl pyrrolidone polymers, polyamine N-oxide polymers, copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole, manganese phthalocyanine, peroxidases, and mixtures thereof. If used, these agents typically comprise from about 0.01% to about 10% by weight of the composition, preferably from about 0.01% to about 5%, and more preferably from about 0.05% to about 2%.

More specifically, the polyamine N-oxide polymers preferred for use herein are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,728, incorporated herein by reference.

Any polymer backbone can be used as long as the amine oxide polymer formed is water-soluble and has dye transfer inhibiting properties. Examples of suitable polymeric backbones are polyvinyls, polyalkylenes, polyesters, polyethers, polyamide, polyimides, polyacrylates and mixtures thereof. These polymers include random or block copolymers where one monomer type is an amine N-oxide and the other monomer type is an N-oxide. The amine N-oxide polymers typically have a ratio of amine to the amine N-oxide of 10:1 to 1:1,000,000. However, the number of amine oxide groups present in the polyamine oxide polymer can be varied by appropriate copolymerization or by an appropriate degree of N-oxidation. The polyamine oxides can be obtained in almost any degree of polymerization. Typically, the average molecular weight is within the range of 500 to 1,000,000; more preferred 1,000 to 500,000; most preferred 5,000 to 100,000. This preferred class of materials can be referred to as “PVNO”.

The most preferred polyamine N-oxide useful in the detergent compositions herein is poly(4-vinylpyridine-N-oxide) which as an average molecular weight of about 50,000 and an amine to amine N-oxide ratio of about 1:4.

Copolymers of N-vinylpyrrolidone and N-vinylimidazole polymers (referred to as a class as “PVPVI”) are also preferred for use herein. Preferably the PVPVI has an average molecular weight range from 5,000 to 1,000,000, more preferably from 5,000 to 200,000, and most preferably from 10,000 to 20,000. The PVPVI copolymers typically have a molar ratio of N-vinylimidazole to N-vinylpyrrolidone from 1:1 to 0.2:1, more preferably from 0.8:1 to 0.3:1, most preferably from 0.6:1 to 0.4:1. These copolymers can be either linear or branched.

The present invention compositions also can employ a polyvinylpyrrolidone (“PVP”) having an average molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 400,000, preferably from about 5,000 to about 200,000, and more preferably from about 5,000 to about 50,000. PVP's are known to persons skilled in the detergent field. Compositions containing PVP can also contain polyethylene glycol (“PEG”) having an average molecular weight from about 500 to about 100,000, preferably from about 1,000 to about 10,000. Preferably, the ratio of PEG to PVP on a ppm basis delivered in wash solutions is from about 2:1 to about 50:1, and more preferably from about 3:1 to about 10:1.

The detergent compositions herein can also optionally contain from about 0.005% to 5% by weight of certain types of hydrophilic optical brighteners which also provide a dye transfer inhibition action. If used, the compositions herein will preferably comprise from about 0.01% to 1% by weight of such optical brighteners.

One preferred brightener is 4,4′,-bis[(4-anilino-6-(N-2-bis-hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine-2-yl)amino]-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid and disodium salt. This particular brightener species is commercially marketed under the trade name Tinopal-UNPA-GX® by Ciba-Geigy Corporation. Tinopal-UNPA-GX is the preferred hydrophilic optical brightener useful in the detergent compositions herein.

Another preferred brightener is 4,4′-bis[(4-anilino-6-(N-2-hydroxyethyl-N-methylamino)-s-triazine-2-yl)amino]2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid disodium salt. This particular brightener species is commercially marketed under the trade name Tinopal 5BM-GX® by Ciba-Geigy Corporation.

Another preferred brightener brightener is 4,4′-bis[(4-anilino-6-morphilino-s-triazine-2-yl)amino]2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid, sodium salt. This particular brightener species is commercially marketed under the trade name Tinopal AMS-GX® by Ciba Geigy Corporation.

The specific optical brightener species selected for use in the present invention provide especially effective dye transfer inhibition performance benefits when used in combination with the selected polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents hereinbefore described. The combination of such selected polymeric materials (e.g., PVNO and/or PVPVI) with such selected optical brighteners (e.g., Tinopal UNPA-GX, Tinopal 5BM-GX and/or Tinopal AMS-GX) provides significantly better dye transfer inhibition in aqueous wash solutions than does either of these two detergent composition components when used alone. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that such brighteners work this way because they have high affinity for fabrics in the wash solution and therefore deposit relatively quick on these fabrics. The extent to which brighteners deposit on fabrics in the wash solution can be defined by a parameter called the “exhaustion coefficient”. The exhaustion coefficient is in general as the ratio of a) the brightener material deposited on fabric to b) the initial brightener concentration in the wash liquor. Brighteners with relatively high exhaustion coefficients are the most suitable for inhibiting dye transfer in the context of the present invention.

Of course, it will be appreciated that other, conventional optical brightener types of compounds can optionally be used in the present compositions to provide conventional fabric “brightness” benefits, rather than a true dye transfer inhibiting effect. Such usage is conventional and well-known to detergent formulations.

Thickeners

The compositions can also comprise common thickeners and anti-deposition compositions as well as viscosity regulators such as polyacrylates, polycarboxylic acids, polysaccharides and their derivatives, polyurethanes, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, castor oil derivatives, polyamine derivatives such as quaternized and/or ethoxylated hexamethylenediamines as well as any mixtures thereof. Preferred compositions have a viscosity below 10,000 mPa® s, measured with a Brookfield viscosimeter at a temperature of 20° C. and a shear rate of 50 min⁻¹.

Inorganic Salts

Further suitable ingredients of the composition are water-soluble inorganic salts such as bicarbonates, carbonates, amorphous silicates or mixtures of these; alkali carbonate and amorphous silicate are particularly used, principally sodium silicate with a molar ratio Na₂O:SiO₂ of 1:1 to 1:4.5, preferably of 1:2 to 1:3.5. Preferred compositions comprise alkaline salts, builders and/or cobuilders, preferably sodium carbonate, zeolite, crystalline, layered sodium silicates and/or trisodium citrate, in amounts of 0.5 to 70 wt. %, preferably 0.5 to 50 wt. %, particularly 0.5 to 30 wt. % anhydrous substance.

Perfumes and Colorants

The compositions can comprise further typical detergent and cleansing composition ingredients such as perfumes and/or colorants, wherein such colorants are preferred that leave no or negligible coloration on the fabrics being washed. Preferred amounts of the totality of the added colorants are below 1 wt. %, preferably below 0.1 wt. %, based on the composition. The compositions can also comprise white pigments such as e.g., TiO₂.

The mixtures may contain the preservative mixtures in amounts of from 0.01 to about 5% b.w., particular of from 0.25 to about 2.5% b.w. and more particularly of from 0.5 to about 1% b.w.—calculated on the total composition.

Food and Flavoring Compositions

Another object of the present invention refers to a food and flavoring composition, in particular to a beverage composition comprising the preservative mixtures of the present invention.

Food and flavoring compositions according to the invention are any preparations or compositions which are suitable for consumption and are used for nutrition or enjoyment purposes, and are generally products which are intended to be introduced into the human or animal oral cavity, to remain there for a certain time and then either be eaten (e.g. ready-to-eat foodstuffs or feeds, see also herein below) or removed from the oral cavity again (e.g. chewing gums). Such products include any substances or products which in the processed, partially processed or unprocessed state are to be ingested by humans or animals. They also include substances which are added to orally consumable products during their manufacture, preparation or treatment and which are intended to be introduced into the human or animal oral cavity.

The food compositions according to the invention also include substances which in the unchanged, treated or prepared state are to be swallowed by a human or animal and then digested; in this respect, the orally consumable products according to the invention also include casings, coatings or other encapsulations which are to be swallowed at the same time or which may be expected to be swallowed. The expression “orally consumable product” covers ready-to-eat foodstuffs and feeds, that is to say foodstuffs or feeds that are already complete in terms of the substances that are important for the taste. The expressions “ready-to-eat foodstuff” and “ready-to-eat feed” also include drinks as well as solid or semi-solid ready-to-eat foodstuffs or feeds. Examples which may be mentioned are frozen products, which must be thawed and heated to eating temperature before they are eaten. Products such as yoghurt or ice-cream as well as chewing gums or hard caramels are also included among the ready-to-eat foodstuffs or feeds.

Preferred food compositions according to the invention also include “semi-finished products”. Within the context of the present text, a semi-finished product is to be understood as being an orally consumable product which, because of a very high content of flavourings and taste-imparting substances, is unsuitable for use as a ready-to-eat orally consumable product (in particular foodstuff or feed). Only by mixing with at least one further constituent (e.g. by reducing the concentration of the flavourings and taste-imparting substances in question) and optionally further process steps (e.g. heating, freezing) is the semi-finished product converted into a ready-to-eat orally consumable product (in particular foodstuff or feed). Examples of semi-finished products which may be mentioned here are

Food composition according to the invention preferably comprises one or more preparations for nutrition or enjoyment purposes. These include in particular (reduced-calorie) baked goods (e.g. bread, dry biscuits, cakes, other baked articles), confectionery (e.g. chocolates, chocolate bars, other products in bar form, fruit gums, dragées, hard and soft caramels, chewing gum), non-alcoholic drinks (e.g. cocoa, coffee, green tea, black tea, (green, black) tea drinks enriched with (green, black) tea extracts, rooibos tea, other herbal teas, fruit-containing soft drinks, isotonic drinks, refreshing drinks, nectars, fruit and vegetable juices, fruit or vegetable juice preparations), instant drinks (e.g. instant cocoa drinks, instant tea drinks, instant coffee drinks), meat products (e.g. ham, fresh sausage or raw sausage preparations, spiced or marinated fresh or salt meat products), eggs or egg products (dried egg, egg white, egg yolk), cereal products (e.g. breakfast cereals, muesli bars, precooked ready-to-eat rice products), dairy products (e.g. full-fat or reduced-fat or fat-free milk drinks, rice pudding, yoghurt, kefir, cream cheese, soft cheese, hard cheese, dried milk powder, whey, butter, buttermilk, partially or completely hydrolysed milk-protein-containing products), products made from soy protein or other soybean fractions (e.g. soy milk and products produced therefrom, drinks containing isolated or enzymatically treated soy protein, drinks containing soy flour, preparations containing soy lecithin, fermented products such as tofu or tempeh or products produced therefrom and mixtures with fruit preparations and optionally flavours), fruit preparations (e.g. jams, sorbets, fruit sauces, fruit fillings), vegetable preparations (e.g. ketchup, sauces, dried vegetables, frozen vegetables, precooked vegetables, boiled-down vegetables), snacks (e.g. baked or fried potato crisps or potato dough products, maize- or groundnut-based extrudates), fat- and oil-based products or emulsions thereof (e.g. mayonnaise, remoulade, dressings, in each case full-fat or reduced-fat), other ready-made dishes and soups (e.g. dried soups, instant soups, precooked soups), spices, spice mixtures and in particular seasonings which are used, for example, in the snacks field, sweetener preparations, tablets or sachets, other preparations for sweetening or whitening drinks or other foods. The preparations within the scope of the invention can also be used in the form of semi-finished products for the production of further preparations for nutrition or enjoyment purposes. The preparations within the scope of the invention can also be in the form of capsules, tablets (uncoated and coated tablets, e.g. enteric coatings), dragées, granules, pellets, solids mixtures, dispersions in liquid phases, in the form of emulsions, in the form of powders, in the form of solutions, in the form of pastes, or in the form of other preparations which can be swallowed or chewed, and in the form of food supplements.

The preparations can also be in the form of capsules, tablets (uncoated and coated tablets, e.g. enteric coatings), dragées, granules, pellets, solids mixtures, dispersions in liquid phases, in the form of emulsions, in the form of powders, in the form of solutions, in the form of pastes, or in the form of other preparations which can be swallowed or chewed, for example in the form of food supplements.

The semi-finished products are generally used for the production of ready-to-use or ready-to-eat preparations for nutrition or enjoyment purposes.

Further constituents of a ready-to-eat preparation or semi-finished product for nutrition or enjoyment purposes can be conventional base substances, auxiliary substances and additives for foods or enjoyment foods, for example water, mixtures of fresh or processed, vegetable or animal base or raw substances (e.g. raw, roast, dried, fermented, smoked and/or boiled meat, bone, cartilage, fish, vegetables, herbs, nuts, vegetable juices, vegetable pastes or mixtures thereof), digestible or non-digestible carbohydrates (e.g. sucrose, maltose, fructose, glucose, dextrins, amylose, amylopectin, inulin, xylans, cellulose, tagatose), sugar alcohols (e.g. sorbitol, erythritol), natural or hardened fats (e.g. tallow, lard, palm fat, cocoa fat, hardened vegetable fat), oils (e.g. sunflower oil, groundnut oil, maize germ oil, olive oil, fish oil, soya oil, sesame oil), fatty acids or their salts (e.g. potassium stearate), proteinogenic or non-proteinogenic amino acids and related compounds (e.g. y-aminobutyric acid, taurine), peptides (e.g. glutathione), natural or processed proteins (e.g. gelatin), enzymes (e.g. peptidases), nucleic acids, nucleotides, taste correctors for unpleasant taste impressions, further taste modulators for further, generally not unpleasant taste impressions, other taste-modulating substances (e.g. inositol phosphate, nucleotides such as guanosine monophosphate, adenosine monophosphate or other substances such as sodium glutamate or 2-phenoxypropionic acid), emulsifiers (e.g. lecithins, diacylglycerols, gum arabic), stabilisers (e.g. carrageenan, alginate), preservatives (e.g. benzoic acid and its salts, sorbic acid and its salts), antioxidants (e.g. tocopherol, ascorbic acid), chelators (e.g. citric acid), organic or inorganic acidifying agents (e.g. acetic acid, phosphoric acid), additional bitter substances (e.g. quinine, caffeine, limonene, amarogentine, humulone, lupulone, catechols, tannins), substances that prevent enzymatic browning (e.g. sulfite, ascorbic acid), ethereal oils, plant extracts, natural or synthetic colourings or colouring pigments (e.g. carotinoids, flavonoids, anthocyans, chlorophyll and derivatives thereof), spices, trigeminally active substances or plant extracts containing such trigeminally active substances, synthetic, natural or nature-identical flavourings or odorants as well as odour correctors.

Food compositions according to the invention, for example those in the form of preparations or semi-finished products, preferably comprise a flavour composition in order to complete and refine the taste and/or odour. A preparation can comprise as constituents a solid carrier and a flavour composition. Suitable flavour compositions comprise, for example, synthetic, natural or nature-identical flavourings, odorants and taste-imparting substances, reaction flavourings, smoke flavourings or other flavour-giving preparations (e.g. protein (partial) hydrolysates, preferably protein (partial) hydrolysates having a high arginine content, barbecue flavourings, plant extracts, spices, spice preparations, vegetables and/or vegetable preparations) as well as suitable auxiliary substances and carriers. Particularly suitable here are the flavour compositions or constituents thereof which produce a roasted, meaty (in particular chicken, fish, seafood, beef, pork, lamb, mutton, goat), vegetable-like (in particular tomato, onion, garlic, celery, leek, mushroom, aubergine, seaweed), spicy (in particular black and white pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, pimento, mustard and mustard products), fried, yeast-like, boiled, fatty, salty and/or pungent flavour impression and accordingly can enhance the spicy impression. The flavour compositions generally comprise more than one of the mentioned ingredients.

The food compositions of the present invention are preferably selected from the group comprising

confectionery, preferably reduced-calorie or calorie-free confectionery, preferably selected from the group comprising muesli bar products, fruit gums, dragées, hard caramels and chewing gum,

non-alcoholic drinks, preferably selected from the group comprising green tea, black tea, (green, black) tea drinks enriched with (green, black) tea extracts, rooibos tea, other herbal teas, fruit-containing low-sugar or sugar-free soft drinks, isotonic drinks, nectars, fruit and vegetable juices, fruit and vegetable juice preparations,

instant drinks, preferably selected from the group comprising instant (green, black, rooibos, herbal) tea drinks,

cereal products, preferably selected from the group comprising low-sugar and sugar-free breakfast cereals and muesli bars,

dairy products, preferably selected from the group comprising reduced-fat and fat-free milk drinks, yoghurt, kefir, whey, buttermilk and ice-cream,

products made from soy protein or other soybean fractions, preferably selected from the group comprising soy milk, products produced from soy milk, drinks containing isolated or enzymatically treated soy protein, drinks containing soy flour, preparations containing soy lecithin, products produced from preparations containing soy lecithin and mixtures with fruit preparations and optionally flavours,

-   -   sweetener preparations, tablets and sachets,     -   sugar-free dragées,     -   ice-cream, with or without milk-based constituents, preferably         sugar-free.

Aroma or Flavouring Compounds

Aroma compounds and flavouring agents (component d) are well known in the art can be added to the flavour compositions of the invention. These flavouring agents can be chosen from synthetic flavouring liquid and/or oils derived from plants leaves, flowers, fruits and so forth, and combinations thereof. Representative flavouring liquids include: artificial, natural or synthetic fruit flavours such as eucalyptus, lemon, orange, banana, grape, lime, apricot and grapefruit oils and fruit essences including apple, strawberry, cherry, orange, pineapple and so forth; bean and nut derived flavours such as coffee, cocoa, cola, peanut, almond and so forth; and root derived flavours such as licorice or ginger.

The flavouring agent is preferably selected from the group consisting of essential oils and extracts, tinctures and balsams, such as, for example, anisole, basil oil, bergamot oil, bitter almond oil, camphor oil, citronella oil, lemon oil; Eucalyptus citriodora oil, eucalyptus oil, fennel oil, grapefruit oil, camomile oil, spearmint oil, caraway oil, lime oil, mandarin oil, nutmeg oil (in particular nutmeg blossom oil=maces oil, mace oil), myrrh oil, clove oil, clove blossom oil, orange oil, oregano oil, parsley (seed) oil, peppermint oil, rosemary oil, sage oil (clary sage, Dalmatian or Spanish sage oil), star aniseed oil, thyme oil, vanilla extract, juniper oil (in particular juniper berry oil), wintergreen oil, cinnamon leaf oil; cinnamon bark oil, and fractions thereof, or constituents isolated therefrom.

It is of particular advantage if the flavoured composition according to the invention comprises at least one flavouring agent, preferably two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight or more flavouring agents chosen from the following group: menthol (preferably l-menthol and/or racemic menthol), anethole, anisole, anisaldehyde, anisyl alcohol, (racemic) neomenthol, eucalyptol (1,8-cineol), menthone (preferably L-menthone), isomenthone (preferably D-isomenthone), isopulegol, menthyl acetate (preferably L-menthyl acetate), menthyl propionate, carvone (preferably (−)-carvone, optionally as a constituent of a spearmint oil), methyl salicylate (optionally as a constituent of a wintergreen oil), eugenol acetate, isoeugenol methyl ether, beta-homocyclocitral, eugenol, isobutyraldehyde, 3-octanol, dimethyl sulfide, hexanol, hexanal, trans-2-hexenal, cis-3-hexenol, 4-terpineol, piperitone, linalool, 8-ocimenyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, isovaleraldehyde, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, limonene (preferably D-limonene, optionally as a constituent of an essential oil), piperitone, trans-sabinene hydrate, menthofuran, caryophyllene, germacrene D, cinnamaldehyde, mint lactone, thymol, gamma-octalactone, gamma-nonalactone, gamma-decalactone, (1,3E,5Z)-undecatriene, 2-butanone, ethyl formate, 3-octyl acetate, isoamyl isovalerate, cis- and trans-carvyl acetate, p-cymol, damascenone, damascone, cis-rose oxide, trans-rose oxide, fenchol, acetaldehyde diethyl acetal, 1-ethoxyethyl acetate, cis-4-heptenal, cis-jasmone, methyl dihydrojasmonate, 2′-hydroxypropiophenone, menthyl methyl ether, myrtenyl acetate, 2-phenylethyl alcohol, 2-phenylethyl isobutyrate, 2-phenylethyl isovalerate, geraniol, nerol and viridiflorol.

In particular preferred aroma or flavouring compounds encompass menthol, cineol, eugenol, thymol, cinnamic aldehyde, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, eucalyptus oil, thyme oil, cinnamon oil, clove oil, spruce needle oil, fennel oil, sage oil, aniseed oil, star anise oil, chamomile oil, and caraway oil, and their mixtures.

Sweetners

The term “sweeteners” here denotes substances having a relative sweetening power of at least 25, based on the sweetening power of sucrose (which accordingly has a sweetening power of 1). Sweeteners to be used in an orally consumable product (in particular foodstuff, feed or medicament) according to the invention (a) are preferably non-cariogenic and/or have an energy content of not more than 5 kcal per gram of the orally consumable product.

Advantageous sweeteners in a preferred orally consumable product (in particular foodstuff, feed or medicament) according to the invention are selected from the following groups (a1) and (a2):

naturally occurring sweeteners, preferably selected from the group comprising

miraculin, monellin, mabinlin, thaumatin, curculin, brazzein, pentaidin, D-phenylalanine, D-tryptophan, and extracts or fractions obtained from natural sources, comprising those amino acids and/or proteins, and the physiologically acceptable salts of those amino acids and/or proteins, in particular the sodium, potassium, calcium or ammonium salts;

neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, naringin dihydrochalcone, stevioside, steviolbioside, rebaudiosides, in particular rebaudioside A, rebaudioside B, rebaudioside C, rebaudioside D, rebaudioside E, rebaudioside F, rebaudioside G, rebaudioside H, dulcosides and rubusoside, suavioside A, suavioside B, suavioside G, suavioside H, suavioside I, suavioside J, baiyunoside 1, baiyunoside 2, phlomisoside 1, phlomisoside 2, phlomisoside 3 and phlomisoside 4, abrusoside A, abrusoside B, abrusoside C, abrusoside D, cyclocaryoside A and cyclocaryoside I, osladin, polypodoside A, strogin 1, strogin 2, strogin 4, selligueain A, dihydroquercetin 3-acetate, perillartin, telosmoside A₁₅, periandrin I-V, pterocaryosides, cyclocaryosides, mukuroziocides, trans-anethole, trans-cinnamaldehyde, bryosides, bryonosides, bryonodulcosides, carnosiflosides, scandenosides, gypenosides, trilobatin, phloridzin, dihydroflavanols, hematoxylin, cyanin, chlorogenic acid, albiziasaponin, telosmosides, gaudichaudioside, mogrosides, mogroside V, hernandulcins, monatin, phyllodulcin, glycyrrhetinic acid and derivatives thereof, in particular glycosides thereof such as glycyrrhizine, and the physiologically acceptable salts of those compounds, in particular the sodium, potassium, calcium or ammonium salts;

extracts or concentrated fractions of the extracts, selected from the group comprising thaumatococcus extracts (katamfe plant), extracts from Stevia ssp. (in particular Stevia rebaudiana), swingle extracts (Momordica or Siratia grosvenorii, Luo-Han-Guo), extracts from Glycerrhyzia ssp. (in particular Glycerrhyzia glabra), extracts from Rubus ssp. (in particular Rubus suavissimus), citrus extracts and extracts from Lippia dulcis;

Synthetic sweet-tasting substances, preferably selected from the group comprising magap, sodium cyclamate or other physiologically acceptable salts of cyclamic acid, acesulfame K or other physiologically acceptable salts of acesulfame, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, naringin dihydrochalcone, saccharin, saccharin sodium salt, aspartame, superaspartame, neotame, alitame, advantame, perillartin, sucralose, lugduname, carrelame, sucrononate and sucrooctate.

Thickeners

Advantageous thickeners in a preferred orally consumable product (in particular foodstuff, feed or medicament) according to the invention are selected from the group comprising: crosslinked polyacrylic acids and derivatives thereof, polysaccharides and derivatives thereof, such as xanthan gum, agar-agar, alginates or tyloses, cellulose derivatives, for example carboxymethylcellulose or hydroxycarboxymethylcellulose, fatty alcohols, monoglycerides and fatty acids, polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinylpyrrolidone.

Preference is given according to the invention to an orally consumable product (in particular foodstuff or feed) which comprises milk thickened with lactic acid bacteria and/or cream thickened with lactic acid bacteria and which preferably is selected from the group comprising yoghurt, kefir and quark.

A food composition according to the invention comprising milk thickened with lactic acid bacteria and/or cream thickened with lactic acid bacteria is advantageously an orally consumable product which comprises a probiotic, wherein the probiotic is preferably selected from the group comprising Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis DN-173 010, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis HN019, Lactobacillus acidophilus LA5, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Lactobacillus johnsonii Lal, Lactobacillus casei immunitass/defensis, Lactobacillus casei Shirota (DSM 20312), Lactobacillus casei CRL431, Lactobacillus reuteri (ATCC 55730) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (ATCC 53013).

Additives for Chewing Gums

Particular preference is given to an orally consumable product (in particular foodstuff, feed or medicament) according to the invention that is a chewing gum and comprises a chewing-gum base. The chewing-gum base is preferably selected from the group comprising chewing-gum or bubble-gum bases. The latter are softer, so that gum bubbles can also be formed therewith. Preferred chewing-gum bases according to the invention include, in addition to the natural resins or the natural latex chicle that are traditionally used, elastomers such as polyvinyl acetate (PVA), polyethylene, (low or medium molecular weight) polyisobutene (PIB), polybutadiene, isobutene-isoprene copolymers (butyl rubber), polyvinyethyl ether (PVE), polyvinylbutyl ether, copolymers of vinyl esters and vinyl ethers, styrene-butadiene copolymers (styrene-butadiene rubber, SBR) or vinyl elastomers, for example based on vinyl acetate/vinyl laurate, vinyl acetate/vinyl stearate or ethylene/vinyl acetate, as well as mixtures of the mentioned elastomers, as described, for example, in EP 0 242 325, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,518,615, 5,093,136, 5,266,336, 5,601,858 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,986,709. In addition, chewing-gum bases that are preferably to be used according to the invention preferably comprise further constituents such as, for example, (mineral) fillers, plasticisers, emulsifiers, antioxidants, waxes, fats or fatty oils, such as, for example, hardened (hydrogenated) vegetable or animal fats, mono-, di- or tri-glycerides. Suitable (mineral) fillers are, for example, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, talcum, aluminium oxide, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, magnesium hydroxide and mixtures thereof. Suitable plasticisers, or agents for preventing adhesion (detackifiers), are, for example, lanolin, stearic acid, sodium stearate, ethyl acetate, diacetin (glycerol diacetate), triacetin (glycerol triacetate), triethyl citrate. Suitable waxes are, for example, paraffin waxes, candelilla wax, carnauba wax, microcrystalline waxes and polyethylene waxes. Suitable emulsifiers are, for example, phosphatides such as lecithin, mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids, for example glycerol monostearate.

Chewing gums according to the invention (in particular as disclosed above) preferably comprise constituents such as sugars of different types, sugar substitutes, other sweet-tasting substances, sugar alcohols (in particular sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol), ingredients having a cooling effect, taste correctors for unpleasant taste impressions, further taste-modulating substances (e.g. inositol phosphate, nucleotides such as guanosine monophosphate, adenosine monophosphate or other substances such as sodium glutamate or 2-phenoxypropionic acid), humectants, thickeners, emulsifiers, stabilisers, odour correctors and flavours (e.g. eucalyptus-menthol, cherry, strawberry, grapefruit, vanilla, banana, citrus, peach, blackcurrant, tropical fruits, ginger, coffee, cinnamon, combinations (of the mentioned flavours) with mint flavours as well as spearmint and peppermint on their own). The combination inter alia of the flavours with further substances that have cooling, warming and/or mouth-watering properties is of particular interest.

The mixtures may contain the preservative mixtures in amounts of from 0.01 to about 5% b.w., particular of from 0.25 to about 2.5% b.w. and more particularly of from 0.5 to about 1% b.w.—calculated on the total composition.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

Another object of the present invention relates to a method for making a preservative mixture with improved solubility, encompassing the following steps:

-   (i) Providing a source for 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; -   (ii) Blending source (a) und stirring with a mixture of at least one     hydrophilic solvent having a log PO/W of 1.2 or below and at least     one lipophilic solvent having a log PO/W of above 1.2; and -   (iii) Adding to the mixture of step (ii) a surfactant.

Finally, the present invention also relates to the use of a mixture comprising or consisting of at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or below and at least one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2 for improving the solubility of 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol particularly in cosmetic or household compositions.

EXAMPLES Example 1

Experiments of the Compositions with and without Lipophilic Solvents

First the general solubility of 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol in different hydrophilic solvents was determined. After preparation, the samples were stored at 5° C. for 24 h. The concentration of 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol was identified, where moderate recrystallization occurred. The evaluation of these limits was important for further determination of quantitative solubility improvement. The results are compiled in Table A and 13; the symbols have the following meanings: (++++) fully dissolved; (++) dissolved, but moderate recrystallisation after 48 h at 5° C.; (+) dissolved, but strong recrystallisation after 48 h at 5° C.; (#) not dissolved.

TABLE 1A Solubility of 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol in different hydrophilic solvents Hydrophilic Log Concentration (% b.w.) solvents P_(o/w) 0 0.05 0.1 3 5 10 15 17 18 29 20 Hexylene 0.6 +++ +++ glycol Propylene −0.9 +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ glycol Dipropylene −1.5 +++ glycol 1,3 −0.7 +++ +++ +++ ++ + + propandiol Propylene −0.4 +++ +++ +++ ++ + # carbonate Butylene 0.6 +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ carbonate Glycerine −1.4 +++ ++ # # carbonate Pentylene −0.3 glycol Benzyl 1.1 +++ ++ alcohol Glycerine −1.6 # Triethyl 0.3 +++ citrate Ethanol/ +++ # Water 1.1 Water #

TABLE 1B Solubility of 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol in different hydrophilic solvents Hydrophilic Log Concentration (% b.w.) solvents P_(o/w) 22 25 27 30 32 34 36 40 46 47 50 Hexylene 0.6 +++ +++ +++ ++ + + + + glycol Propylene −0.9 ++ + # glycol Dipropylene −1.5 +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ ++ + + glycol 1,3 propandiol −0.7 # # Propylene −0.4 # # carbonate Butylene 0.6 ++ # # carbonate Glycerine −1.4 carbonate Pentylene −0.3 +++ ++ + + + + glycol Benzyl 1.1 + + + + + + + # # alcohol Glycerine −1.6 Triethyl 0.3 +++ ++ + # citrate Ethanol/ Water 1.1 Water #

In a next step further solubility trials with

-   -   Propylene glycol (Table 2, FIG. 1)     -   Butylene carbonate (Table 3, FIG. 2) and     -   1,3 propandiol (Table 4, FIG. 3)

in combination with different lipophilic solvents were performed. These solvents were chosen because they are cost effective, well accepted in cosmetics and household products and therefore very suitable for a development of a liquid blend with 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol. The results are depicted in Tables 2, 3 and 4.

Test Method:

4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol was dissolved together with the respective solvent and lipophilic co-solvent at 80° C. by using a magnetic stirrer. After cooling down, the solutions were stored at 5° C. for 48 h. The samples were left at 22° C. for 2 h and afterwards homogenized with a lab shaker for 5 min at 300 rpm. The recrystallized amount of 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol was separated from the solution by using a Büchner funnel and a suitable filter paper (Sartorius, particle retention: 8-12 μm). To remove the remaining solvent from the filter two washing steps with 20 ml water each were carried out. The filter was transferred into a glass dish and dried at 80° C. for 1 h. The glass dish was left for 15 min at 22° C. to cool down and the weight was determined with a precision balance (gross weight). The weight of glass dish and untreated filter was noted in advance (tare weight). The quantitative amount of recrystallized 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol (net weight) was calculated by subtracting tare weight from gross weight).

In the following composition examples of selected hydrophilic solvents with different lipophilic solvents are provided.

TABLE 2 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol in Propylene Glycol (hydrophilic) with different lipophilic co-solvent (indicated as wt. %) Co-solvent Log P_(o/w) P P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 4-isopropyl-3- 3.5 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 methyl-phenol Propylene glycol −0.9  78.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 Hydroxyacetophenone 1.4 — 5.0 — — — — — Lauryl alcohol 4.8 — — 5.0 — — — — Decylene glycol 3.4 — — — 5.0 — — — Glyceryl caprylate 1.8 — — — — 5.0 — — 2-Benzylheptanol 4.2 — — — — — 5.0 — Ethylhexylglycerin 2.5 — — — — — — 5.0 Quantitative amount of 75.9 38.5 13.3 26.1 22.6 12.6 24.5 recrystallisation of 4-isopropyl-3- methylphenol (mg) 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol 100.0 50.7 17.5 34.4 29.8 16.6 32.3 recrystallization relative to control (P) (%)

TABLE 3 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol in butylene carbonate (hydrophilic) with different lipophilic co-solvent (indicated as wt. %) Co-solvent Log P_(o/w) BC BC1 BC2 BC3 BC4 BC5 BC6 4-isopropyl-3- 3.5 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 methyl-phenol Butylene carbonate 0.6 78.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 Hydroxyacetophenone 1.4 — 5.0 — — — — — Lauryl alcohol 4.8 5.0 — — — — — — Decylene glycol 3.4 — — — 5.0 — — — Glyceryl caprylate 1.8 — — — — 5.0 — — 2-Benzylheptanol 4.2 — — — — — 5.0 — Ethylhexylglycerin 2.5 — — — — — — 5.0 Quantitative amount of 228.5 171.9 11.9 14.9 64.4 17.9 36.8 recrystallisation of 4-isopropyl-3- methylphenol (mg) 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol 100.0 75.2 5.2 6.5 28.2 7.8 16.1 recrystallization relative to control (BC) (%)

TABLE 4 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol in 1,3-Propanediol (hydrophilic) with different lipophilic co-solvent (indicated as wt. %) Log Co-solvent PO/W PD PD1 PD2 PD3 PD4 PD5 PD6 4-isopropyl-3- 3.5 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 22.0 methyl-phenol 1,3-propandiol −0.7  78.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 73.0 Hydroxy- 1.4 — 5.0 — — — — — acetophenone Lauryl alcohol 4.8 — — 5.0 — — — — Decylene glycol 3.4 — — — 5.0 — — — Glyceryl caprylate 1.8 — — — — 5.0 — — 2-Benzylheptanol 4.2 — — — — — 5.0 — Ethylhexyl- 2.5 — — — — — — 5.0 glycerin Quantitative amount of 144.9 136.4 25.1 47.4 134.0 87.5 94.3 recrystallisation of 4-isopropyl-3- methylphenol (mg) 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol 100.0 94.1 17.3 32.7 92.5 60.4 65.1 recrystallization relative to control (PD) (%)

Surprisingly it could be seen that already the addition of 5% of a lipophilic solvent improves the solubility of 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol significantly. The amount of recrystallized 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol was reduced depending on the solvent/co-solvent up to 95%.

Example 2

Shampoo

To investigate the influence on recrystallization in a finished formulation the pre-solutions BC, BC2, BC3 and BC5 (Table 3) in comparison to neat 4-isopropyl-3-methyl phenol were incorporated into a shampoo. (Table 5, trials 1-5) The samples were stored for 2 days at 5° C. and then examined by microscopy. The results are depicted in Table 5.

Shampoo samples with solutions BC2, BC3 and BC5 with lipophilic co-solvents lauryl alcohol, decylene glycol and 2-benzylheptanol showed no recrystallization, whereas samples with solution BC (without lipophilic solvent) and neat 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol were recrystallized. (FIGS. 4A-4E).

TABLE 5 Shampoo composition (concentrations in wt. %) INCI 1 2 3 4 5 A. Sodium Laureth 17.00 17.00 17.00 17.00 17.00 Sulfate, Lauryl Glycoside Citric Acid  0.15  0.15  0.15  0.15  0.15 1,2 Hexandiol,  1.00  1.00  1.00  1.00  1.00 Caprylyl Glycol Disodium EDTA  0.10  0.10  0.10  0.10  0.10 Sodium Chloride  0.40  0.40  0.40  0.40  0.40 B. Water (Auqa) ad 100 Polyquaternium-10  0.20  0.20  0.20  0.20  0.20 C. Potassium Sorbate  0.15  0.15  0.15  0.15  0.15 D. Cocoamidoproyl  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.00  5.00 Betaine E. 4-isopropyl-3-  0.10 — — — — methyl-phenol Solution BC —  0.45 — — — (without co-solvent) Solution BC2 (with — —  0.45 — — 5% co-solvent lauryl alcohol) Solution BC3 (with — — —  0.45 — 5% co-solvent decylene glycol) Solution BC5 (with — — — —  0.45 5% co-solvent 2- benzylheptanol) Fragrance 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 SUM 100.00

The following Fragrance “WHITE” was used in formulation examples 1-5: Fragrance “WHITE”: Perfume oil with white blossom smell (Table 6):

TABLE 6 Fragrance Component/NAME Parts by weight Benzyl acetate 60.00 Citronellyl acetate 60.00 Cyclamene aldehyde (2-methyl-3- 20.00 (4-isopropylphenyl)propanal Dipropylene glycol (DPG) 60.00 Ethyl linalool 40.00 Florol (2-isobutyl-4-methyltetrahydro-2H-pyran-4-ol) 30.00 Globanone [(E/Z)-8-cyclohexadecen-1-one] 180.00 Hedione (methyldihydrojasmonate) 140.00

Production method shampoo: Blend Phase A by stirring slowly with a vane stirrer, stop the process when foaming starts. Swell Ucare Poylmer JR-400 in water by stirring and warming up to 50° C. (The dispersion becomes clear and slightly viscous, when swelling process is completed) Add Phases B, C and D to A one after the other by stirring with a vane stirrer.

Incorporation of 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol (neat) into the finished shampoo: Heat up the shampoo to 70° C., add 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol and stir for 15 min.

Incorporation of solutions BC, BC2, B3 and BC5: Blend 0,45% (corresponds to 0,1% neat 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol) of the different mixtures with the shampoo formula at 22° C. by stirring for

Microscopic images (Olympus IX 70, polarized light, 60 fold) of shampoo formulae 1-5 after 2 days storage at 5° C. are provided in FIGS. 4A to 4E. As one can see, there is no recrystallization in shampoo formulations 3, 4 and 5, containing lipophilic co-solvents 1-dodecanol, decylene glycol and 2-benzylheptanol, whereas formulations 1 (with neat 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol) and 2 (without lipophilic solvent) were recrystallized.

Example 3

Emulsion Composition, o/w

Furthermore the blends BC, BC2, BC3 and BC5 in comparison to neat 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol were incorporated into o/w emulsion. The results were provided in Table 7:

The samples were stored for 2 days at 5° C. and then visually observed. Emulsion samples 8, 9 and 10 showed no recrystallization, whereas sample 7 (without lipophilic solvent) and sample 6 (with neat 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol) were recrystallized.

TABLE 7 Emulsion composition, o/w (indicated as wt. %) Phase INCI 6 7 8 9 10 A. Potassium Cetyl 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Pentaerythrityl 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 Distearate Glyceryl Stearate 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 Cetearyl Nonanoate 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 Caprylic/Capric 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 Triglyceride Ethylhexyl 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 Isononanoate B. Acrylates/C10-30 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer Xanthan Gum  0.15  0.15  0.15  0.15  0.15 C. Water (Aqua) ad 100 Disodium EDTA 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 Pentylene Glycol 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1,2 Hexanediol, 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 Caprylyl Glycol Propylene Glycol 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Glycerin 85% 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 D. Sodium Hydroxide, 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 10% aqueous sol. E. Pentylene Glycol 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 Propylene Glycol 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 4-isopropyl-3- 0.1 — — — — methyl-phenol Solution BC —  0.45 — — — (without co-solvent) Solution BC2 — —  0.45 — — (with 5% co-solvent lauryl alcohol) Solution BC3 — — —  0.45 — (with 5% co-solvent decylene glycol) Solution BC5 — — — —  0.45 (with 5% co-solvent 2-benzylheptanol) F. Fragrance 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4

Production Method o/w Emulsion:

Heat Phase A and C separately to 80° C.

Disperse Phase B in A. Add Phase C to AB and emulsify using an Ultra Turrax Stirrer. (3 m) Add Phase D and neutralize. Allow to cool by using a vane stirrer.

Incorporation of 4-Isopropyl-3-Methyl-Phenol (Neat) into the Finished o/w Emulsion.

Predissolve 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol in 1% Pentylene Glycol and 1% Propylene glycol at 70° C. Add the mixture to the emulsion and stir for 15 min.

Incorporation of Solutions BC, BC2, BC3 and BC5:

Predissolve 0.45% (corresponds to 0,1% neat 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol) of the different mixtures with 1% Pentylene Glycol and 1% Propylene glycol, add the mixture to the emulsion and stir for 15 min.

The following Fragrance “ROSE” was used in Formulation Examples 6-10: Fragrance “ROSE”: Perfume oil with rose smell (Table 8)

TABLE 8 Fragrance Component/NAME Parts by weight Acetophenone. 10% in DPG 10.00 n-undecanal 5.00 Aldehyde C14 so-called (peach aldehyde) 15.00 Allylamylglycolate. 10% in DPG 20.00 Amyl salicylate 25.00 Benzyl acetate 60.00 Citronellol 80.00 d-limonene 50.00 Decenol trans-9 15.00 Dihydromyrcenol 50.00 Dimethylbenzylcarbinyl acetate 30.00 Diphenyloxide 5.00 Eucalyptol 10.00 Geraniol 40.00 Nerol 20.00 Geranium oil 15.00 Hexenol cis-3. 10% in DPG 5.00 Hexenyl salicylate cis-3 20.00 Indole. 10% in DPG 10.00 Alpha-ionone 15.00 Beta-ionone 5.00 Lilial (2-methyl-3-(4-tert-butyl-phenyl)propanal) 60.00 Linalool 40.00 Methylphenylacetate 10.00 Phenylethyl alcohol 275.00 Styrallyl acetate 20.00 Terpineol 30.00 Tetrahydrolinalool 50.00 Cinnamyl alcohol 10.00

Example 5

Dish Wash Formulation

A further example for the application of pre-dissolved liquid blends with isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol is a dish wash formulation. The results are shown in Table 9:

TABLE 9 Dish wash formulation (concentrations in wt. %) Phase INCI 11 12 13 A. Sodium laureth Sulfate 31.0 31.0 31.0 Propylene Glycol 6.0 6.0 6.0 Ethanol 96% 7.0 7.0 7.0 Coco Glucoside 6.0 6.0 6.0 Coco Betaine 18.0 18.0 18.0 Water (Aqua) 18.0 18.0 18.0 B. 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol 0.1 Solution BC (without co-solvent) 0.45 Solution BC5 (with 5% 0.45 co-solvent 2-benzylheptanol) Fragrance 0.4 0.4 0.4

Production method: Blend ingredients of phase A as listed. Pre-dissolve the fragrance with 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol and the respective solutions containing 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol and stir until the blend is dissolved and homogeneous. (15 mi, 100 rpm). The composition of the fragrance for the dish wash is provided in FIG. 5.

The samples were stored for 2 days at 5° C. and visually observed. Sample 13 showed no recrystallization, whereas sample 12 (without lipophilic solvent) and sample 11 (with neat 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol) was recrystallized.

Example 6

Mouth Wash Formulation

Another example for the application of pre-dissolved liquid blends with 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol is a mouth wash formulation. The results are shown in Table 10:

TABLE 10 Mouth wash formulation (concentrations in wt. %) INCI 14 15 16 Ethanol 99% 42.0 42.0 42.0 Water (Aqua) ad 100 Mint flavour (Optamint FLO11158AA) 4.0 4.0 4.0 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol 0.1 Solution P (without lipophilic co-solvent) 0.45 Solution P1 (with 5% co-solvent 0.45 Hydroxyacetophenonen) PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil 1.5 1.5 1.5

Formulation: Pre-dissolve the different blends with 4-isopropyl-3-methyl-phenol together with the mint flavour. Blend all ingredients as listed. The mint flavour consisted of 30 wt. % anethol, 25 wt. % eucalyptol and 45 wt. % l-menthol.

The samples were stored for 2 days at 5° C. and visually observed. Sample 16 showed no recrystallization, whereas sample 15 (without lipophilic solvent) and sample 14 (with neat 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol) were recrystallized.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1: 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol (dissolved in propylene glycol); recrystallization (%) relative to control (P) in presence of 5% b.w. co-solvent

FIG. 2: 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol (dissolved in butylene carbonate); recrystallization (%) relative to control (BC) in presence of 5% b.w. co-solvent

FIG. 3: 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol (dissolved in 1.3-propanediol); recrystallization (%) relative to control (PD) in presence of 5% b.w. co-solvent

FIG. 4: Microscopic images of shampoo formulations

FIG. 5: Fragrance for dish wash composition 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A preservative mixture comprising (a) about 2 to about 50 wt. % 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) about 40 to about 97 wt. % at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or below; and (c) about 1 to about 38 wt. % at least one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2, on condition that the amounts add to 100 wt. %.
 2. The mixture of claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic solvent is selected from the group consisting of alcohols, diols, polyols, phenols, esters and mixtures thereof.
 3. The mixture of claim 2, wherein said hydrophilic solvent is selected from the group consisting of ethanol, 1-propanol, isopropanol phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, butylene glycol, pentylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, hexylene glycol dipropylene glycol, ethoxydiglycol, propylene carbonate, glycerine carbonate, butylene carbonate, triethyl citrate, ethyl lactate, butyl lactate, ethylacetate, diethylmalonate, diacetin, dimethyl isosorbide, diethylene glycol, PPG-3, methyl ether, and mixtures thereof.
 4. The mixture of claim 1, wherein said lipophilic solvent is selected from the group consisting of 2-methyl-5-cyclohexylpentanol, 2-methyl 5-phenylpentanol, dimethyl phenylpropanol, dimethyl phenylbutanol, 3-methyl-4-phenylbutan-2-ol, phenylisohexanol, iso adipate, farnesol, 4-hydroxyacetophenone, cetearyl ethylhexanoate, triisononanoin, caprylic/capric triglycerides, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl caprate, glyceryl laurate, decyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, hexyldecanol, ethylhexyl isononanoate, ethylhexylglycerin, diethyl succinate, caprylyl glycol, decylene glycol, phenylpropanol, menthyl antranilate, homosalate, ethylhexyl salicylate, benzyl benzoate, benzyl salicylate, diethylhexyl 2,6-naphthalate, 2-benzylheptanol, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, methyldihydrojasmonate, tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, trimethylbenzenepropanol, ethylbutyrate, menthyl acetate, carvacrol, methylsalicylate, eugenol, menthone, carvone, anethole, cinnamic aldehyde, limonene, isoamylacetate, dihydromyrcenol, methyldihydrojasmonate (hedione), tetramethyl acetyloctahydronaphtalenes (iso E super), isosorbide dicyprylate, menthone glycerin acetal, mentyl lactate, phenyl salicylate, farnesyl acetate, ethyl laurate, phenethyl benzoate, Persea gratissima (avocado oil), isoamyl-p methoxycinnamate, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, and mixtures thereof.
 5. The mixture of claim 1, comprising (a) about 10 to about 40% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) about 60 to about 90% b.w. at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or below; and (c) about 3 to about 30% b.w. at least one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2; on condition that the amounts add to 100% b.w.
 6. The mixture of claim 1, comprising (a) 30% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) 65% b.w. dipropylene glycol; and (c) 5% b.w. decylene glycol.
 7. The mixture of claim 1, comprising (a) 20% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) 70% b.w. propylene glycol; and (c) 10% b.w. lauryl alcohol.
 8. The mixture of claim 1, comprising (a) 25% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) 70% b.w. pentylene glycol; and (c) 5% b.w. 2-benzylheptanol.
 9. The mixture of claim 1, comprising (a) 20% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) 70% b.w. butylene carbonate; and (c) 10% b.w. ethylhexylglycerin.
 10. The mixture of claim 1, comprising (a) 25% b.w. 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) 70% b.w. triethyl citrate; and (c) 5% b.w. ethylhexylglycerin.
 11. A method for making a preservative mixture with improved solubility, comprising the following steps: (i) Providing a source for 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (ii) Blending the source and stirring with a mixture of at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or below and at least one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2; and (iii) Adding to the mixture of step (ii) a surfactant, said preservative mixture containing (a) about 2 to about 50 wt. % 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) about 40 to about 97 wt. % at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or below; and (c) about 1 to about 38 wt. % at least one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2, on condition that the amounts add to 100 wt. %.
 12. A method for improving the solubility of 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol particularly in cosmetic or household compositions, comprising adding to the 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol, a mixture comprising—at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or below and at least one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2, wherein the composition thus-obtained contains (a) about 2 to about 50 wt. % 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol; (b) about 40 to about 97 wt. % at least one hydrophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of 1.2 or below; and (c) about 1 to about 38 wt. % at least one lipophilic solvent having a log P_(O/W) of above 1.2, on condition that the amounts add to 100 wt. %. 